


Springtime in Soul Society

by Miggyrow



Series: Four season of death [1]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ensemble Cast, Multi, Multicharacter centric, Original Character(s), Other, POV Multiple, Plot Twists
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:28:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 58
Words: 379,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22261825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miggyrow/pseuds/Miggyrow
Summary: Begins from chapter 414 of the Manga, follows the fall of Aizen, the end of the war, and the first months of the reconstruction of the Sereitei. Multi-character centric. Alt Timeline. OC
Relationships: Ichimaru Gin & Matsumoto Rangiku, Kuchiki Byakuya & Original Character(s), Kuchiki Rukia/Kurosaki Ichigo
Series: Four season of death [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1602475
Comments: 62
Kudos: 34





	1. Hell is paved with Good intentions

* * *

**Ichimaru Gin**

Former Commander of the Arrancar Army of Aizen Sousuke

Former Captain of the 3rd Division

Childhood friend of Matsumoto Rangiku

Wanted "Dead or Alive" in Soul Society for High Treason, Attempted Murder and Conspiracy ... But the day is not over.

* * *

He stared at the tiny opaque pearl with an air close to religious contemplation. The Hōgyoku. It seemed almost insignificant in the palm of his hand. The mischievous smile on his face disappeared. A veil of sobriety tinted the turquoise of his eyes as he watched the object. Time seemed suspended as the sphere rolled again in the palm of his hand. It was the black pearl that started this war. He could feel it vibrating between his fingers, rebellious and tenacious, an independent sentient entity.

Gin Ichimaru had it in his hands.

His revenge.

Over the past century, he had done more than simply lusting after it. He built a life where the black pearl was his only concubine where there was nothing else. No other was entitled to his thoughts. Nothing else had room or importance. Nothing? In fact, let's not be too hasty.

She matters. Her heady perfume, a mixture of jasmine and rose, with a definite air of autumn was heavy in the air like a reminder that he could never evade her. Speaking of the wolf? He could recognize her reiatsu signature amongst a thousand. It was so distinctly calling to him.

"It looks like I made it just in time. "

The audacity of this woman could have at other times, and different circumstances made him smile. But here he was, and all he wanted to do was drag her by the hair kicking and screaming back to the Soul Society. Ran-Chan never made it easy for him. He did not foresee it in his plans. Rangiku Matsumoto had always been an unknown, a mathematical factor, and a cause already lost. Whenever she was nearby, he had all the trouble in the world keeping his cool. He kept his spiritual pressure intact by habit. He even managed to keep his smile in her presence. But when they were so close to each other, his ideas were never very clear.

"Captain Aizen, I apologize for my friend getting in the way! I will take her over there. "

There was no hesitation in his voice, only an excess of politeness very far from his personality. But again, he had these moments. Aizen did not seem to mind. The man was still feeling the effects of his victory over Urahara.

"I don't mind. We have time in front of us anyway."

Gin immediately bowed in a respectful gesture. For a second, he let a mischievous smile spread across his lips again.

" Are you sure? This is not a problem? "

Despite his dilated pupils and his smirk, there was not the slightest trace of emotion on Aizen Sousuke's still half-shinigami face.

"Not at all. "

Aizen had uttered the words with enough detachment to warn Gin that the minutes that would follow would be decisive. His next actions were already under review. Gin disappeared for a fraction of a second, hugged Rangiku and teleported them the next moment on the roof of a building twenty kilometers away.

He did not have time to hear Aizen's last words. But if he had learned anything from his master after all his years of servitude, one should never lower his guard. Aizen had always known what Gin felt for her. It was the only thing Gin had not managed to erase over the years. Aizen knew what she meant to him. His heart. His conscience. The Joker.

Her body was naturally bending against his, sharing an instinctive intimacy, her wide eyes torn between horror, nausea, fear, disappointment, hatred, and all these things Gin genuinely did not like to see in her lapis-lazuli irises. She struggled firmly trying to draw her zanpakutō. He could predict all her moves. She groaned against him. Her hot, sweaty body slipped between his hands. Before she managed to get Haineko out of its holster, he released her. She fell back on the roof with the grace of a cat and gave him a feral annoyed growl as a bonus. He moistened his lips in response. His brain was already doing the uttermost imagining what other sounds she could make.

"You can barely stand. Why did you come?" He said to her without giving up his smile.

Her eyes flashed in his direction. Her mane danced frantically in the wind. Several times she leaned forward. She was not bothered by his spiritual pressure. He had kept it to a minimum. No, this constant pressure like a weight on her neck, Rangiku owed it to Aizen. And he hoped that it had at least the merit of making the young woman reflect on the difference of power. She staggered toward him slowly.

" I opened a Senkaimon as soon as I felt your reiatsu disappear, after all, I know the coordinates of Karakura well."

His smile vanished. Chilling.

"I did not ask you how you got here. I asked why you came here when you can barely stand up? "

A few drops of sweat dripped down her neck into her breasts. She pushed a strand of blond hair back all defiant and ready to die. He smiled again amicably.

" I came for you."

Gin's lips twitched in a straight line. What in the bloody fucking hell was wrong with this woman?

"I can finally ask you ... " She paused for a moment during which she stared at him carefully as if to finally print his face into her memory. At least he imagined her doing just that. He imagined presumptuously that she would want to keep at least a few things from him when all this was over. It made him smile.

No, Rangiku was staring ardently because she was looking for a few things in his eyes. She was perhaps looking for signs of remorse. Gin hated to disappoint a friend. He smiled even more like a fox.

"Why did you betray Kira when he had so much faith in you?" He cut her off immediately with a sneer.

"Are you serious? Is it really Izuru's faith that I betrayed? When you say "he had so much faith in you" we're not really talking about my lieutenant, am I right?"

Gin let his irritation known in the guise of a sigh. She really wanted to talk about another man. The world could end in a minute, and his favorite girl was asking him about another man. One had to appreciate the irony of it all. He released his reiatsu at the same time. The atmosphere darkens immediately. His spiritual pressure rose gradually, and the building started to move beneath their feet with debris soaring in the air. Rangiku widened her hazel eyes with horror. He was expecting a change in mood. It was always like that when he allowed her to enter his universe.

Nevertheless, she recovered quickly from the shock. She took some bloody resolutions about their future it seems. It was time to move on to something else.

"Ah, I really do not know why you came! "

Big, clear, limpid tears threatened to fall. But Rangiku Matsumoto stubbornly refused to shed a single tear in front of him. It was a bit melodramatic and not to his liking. Gin made a shunpo and found himself a few inches from her face. He heard her inhaled sharply at their sudden proximity and gorged himself with her scent last time. Jasmine.

There was no way to postpone this moment. Sorry, Rangiku! He had to perform a final act of treason to accomplish his dark designs. He touched the locket on her neck, his fingers sliding softly against her curves. Her life was pulsating under his fingers. Their eyes met. The desire in her eyes, her half-open lips ... his own lust ... Their reiatsu furiously collided. His was stronger, and it suddenly engulfed everything around them like an ocean wave in a storm. She winced at the effort she had to make to keep breathing. It was usually the point where he stopped himself. But just for today, he wanted to be entirely transparent with her. He wanted her to really see him as if it was the last time. Buildings around them crumbled to dust. Her breath caught in her throat painfully, her little fingers shaking around Haineko. She turned her gaze to him once more with this air of defiance when only a light breeze could make her collapse. The air around them was unbearable. She hadn't know spiritual pressure like that since... She was searching for a point in comparison it seemed to him, and Gin saw the exact moment when she realized she could find none. It was the worst betrayal of all.

_I can tell that you've never been true to me_

It only needed a second to remember the reason why he was about to commit the irreparable. He leaned in her ear again. It would be hypocritical of him to say that she was the reason he followed Aizen.

_I can smell that you're acting so fearfully_

_I can hear what you're hoping I want to hear_

_I can feel the alarm bells ringing in me_

_I can touch, but I know you do not feel a thing_

_I can pray, but I know you commit a sin_

_I can sense now it's all become clear to see_

"Listen, Rangiku ... You're in my way. "

He brandished his zanpakutō a few inches from her face. Rangiku remained frozen and breathless. Then he noted the precise moment when she realized he was not joking. A glimmer of warning crossed the clear of her pupils. Her fingers searched for Haineko. Surprise prevented her from making any sound, and she gave up the idea of using it. His hand brushed her face softly. Gin Ichimaru opened his eyes as well. For a brief moment, a rare instance, the blue of the sky had been injected into his eyes, as clear and transparent as his betrayal. He whispered in her ear. She never knew if he had just told her "I love you" or "Farewell." She also did not know if he had released Shinsou.

She just knew that she did not have time to call forth Haineko. A whitish aura enveloped their faces everything faded around them.

Gin let the young woman slide on the floor gently. Haineko, still in its sheath, fell back to the ground in a macabre symphony. Gin looked down again. He pushed the scabbard with his left foot and smiled cold-bloodedly.

_You're no good, and you mean no good_

_Treacherously!_

" I'm back, Captain Aizen."

" What did you do with her?"

"I killed her."

He had pronounced those words without departing from his usual mischievous smirk. He declared them with such a finality... a deadly finality... As if he hadn't left his heart bleeding in some alleys years ago.

After contemplating his words for a few seconds, the distrust in his mentor's features dissipated. Aizen turned to him emotionless.

"I no longer feel her reiatsu."

Gin nodded slowly.

"But I'm surprised, I thought you still felt some kind of attachments for her."

Gin moved with the languor of the snake, his coat whipped the air noisily in its wake.

" Attachment? Of course, I ain't got nothing like that. I told you when I met you for the very first time. I'm a snake. My skin's cold. I do not have a heart. I crawl around looking for prey with the tip of my tongue. When I found one I take a likin' to, I swallow it whole. That's the kind of creature I am. I told you that, didn't I? "

Gin circled the man, his hands behind his back. Aizen took the time to digest his words. It was as if he was putting it away in the corner of the computer that served as his analytical brain.

"I swear... I've about grown tired of playing cat-and-mouse."

They both turned his attention to the group of high school students.

"What are you gonna do after you kill the kids?"

Gin heard the metallic whistle as Aizen unsheathed Kyouka Suigetsu, it was a rare sound.

"I'll hang their corpses out of town in a place they can easily be seen, and then I will set about creating the Royal Key."

Gin nodded squarely as he gripped the blade of his mentor. It sounded like a plan.

"If that's the plan, I'll be the one taking care of the kids."

"Gin, it sounds good to me."

With his usual smirk, Gin knew dinner had just arrived. Now he had it in his hand. This insignificant little thing. There was no one to get in his way. He had had centuries to plan his revenge. He had had centuries to learn to tame the anger inside him. Removing from Aizen what he wanted most in the world was like payback. For a few seconds, Gin Ichimaru let himself believe that the artifact burning the palm of his hand could really create the world in which Rangiku would smile again.

But it was a lie. Something was wrong. He spread his fingers and winced in pain. The Hogyoku vibrated in his fist. Gin naively believed that he had succeeded in becoming a snake to better devour his prey. He had made his Bankai the pivotal element of his vengeance. Like a snake, he had wanted to strike at the most opportune moment. **Kamishini no Yari** had pierced Aizen Sousuke's chest, left a small blaze of steel in his heart, and its poison had sought to destroy every cell in his body. It took centuries to prepare. To prepare to leave his heart for dead on the roof of a building.

How ironic again that he had just left her as he had found her that morning in the middle of the woods, ravaged by pain. Aizen had no idea what he and his henchmen had done to him by attacking Rangiku. Rangiku's innocence tainted the ground. They were not content to take a little of her spiritual pressure. They had to piss and stain on what was his. Unforgivable.

Seeing Aizen with a hole in his heart may have been what he was aiming for, yet to witness was something else like he was suddenly aware of his lack of a contingency plan. This was strange. Things were not exactly going as planned. When Aizen turned again before his eyes, the first thing that came to his mind was that he had not apologized to her. No doubt, he probably would not have the opportunity.

Instead of suffering the pain of a thousand deaths as he should have, Aizen had not only survived, but he had also evolved. Even stronger, his spiritual pressure reached levels Gin had never seen. Unsheathing Shinsou would be useless. Before Gin could understand the incomprehensible, Aizen grabbed his arm and pulled it in a fluid motion, like a child snapping an ant's feet for fun.

Gin took a few seconds to register what was happening. He felt his limb parting from his body and stared at it at his feet in pure shock. Aizen first morphed first into a butterfly. Then the next moment he waved Gin's arm in the air like a trophy. Life, on the other hand, was leaking on the ground, in the midst of large puddles of hemoglobin. Once, Aizen had already taken things from him. He had tried to take Rangiku, the only thing that tied him to this level of existence. He had sworn to make him pay. He had denied his heart for so long to banish all hesitation. He wanted Aizen to die preferably in agony, no matter what the price was. He did not have high ideals. He had no pretense of wanting to save the world by his gesture. Nor did he intend to fulfill any destiny. He tried to protect Ran-chan's smile. He did not know anymore. All these things seemed suddenly insignificant. The only things that had ever counted in his eyes, as naïve and cliche as they were, was to make Aizen pay for making Rangiku cry, just because he could. Kyouka Suigetsu cut again in his flesh. A new stream of blood sprinkled the ground. Aizen cut through his self-esteem again... and again. He just stood there, uncaring, not feeling any pain, his mind drifting away unaccustomed to failure. A breeze of air blew on his raw flesh. The ground turned red at his feet. His vision blurred. The ground receded under his feet. Some things kept him from falling forward. Kyouka Suigetsu was crossing his ribcage again. His mouth parted in a sigh, a trickle of blood dripped onto the dusty floor. He should have said he was sorry.

Moving his wrist nonchalantly, Aizen pushed back Gin and put his zanpakuto back in its scabbard.

The silver-haired shinigami crashed into a collapsed building with violence. The captain of the third division thought back to all that he had sacrificed for this very moment and could not help thinking that someone even higher than the highest ranking in Sereitei had the cruelest sense of humor. Oh well! That was life. A new grimace stretched his lips.

* * *

**Matsumoto Rangiku**

Lieutenant of the tenth division under the orders of Tōshirō Hitsugaya

Childhood Friend of Gin Ichimaru

Killed by Gin Ichimaru ...

* * *

She felt herself dying in his hands. She saw death reflecting in Gin Ichimaru's blue eyes and did absolutely nothing to avoid it. Kido. You fell very low, Matsumoto! She tried to sit up and took a deep breath. She could not move, petrified, immobilized, at the mercy of Haku-Fuku just as Gin had wished. She looked up at the sky. If she was still alive, it was because Gin had wanted it so. She let out a scream of rage. How many times would she let him play with her? She, Matsumoto Rangiku, Jūbantai's Fukutaicho. She had no idea she was so weak.

Rangiku searched for his reiatsu. Her stomach contracted painfully.

"Gin! "

The scream had escaped her before she could stop herself. She prolonged it as long as she could. A long complaint tore the atmosphere. She had to ... He was hurt. She made an effort to get on all fours. Rangiku screamed his name. She cursed him. She invoked him in prayer. She would not ask him any more questions. She would savor every second he would play with her. She pleaded with him. She made the promise that if only she could free herself from this spell. She would make herself tiny in his life. She did not care about the consequences. She did not want to be here. She did not want to be without him. Still and always, he abandoned her. He always turned his back on her without leaving anything behind. She could not stand watching Gin Ichimaru's back over and over again.

Matsumoto screamed again and managed to catch the only thing that had never left her or turned her back on her.

"Haineko...Haineko ..." She murmured. "Please ... Please ... Help me!"

The snow piled up between her hands. But she was not cold at all. Her heart was so lonely. Solitude alone prevented her from being cold. She did not have to open her eyes to find out where she was, where Haineko had brought her. She was exactly where it all began, where she had seen his back for the first time.

" He's gone again, isn't he?" Shouted her Zanpakutō with disdain. Rangiku kept her head down and let her tears run down in the snow. Haineko shrugged impatiently.

"It was all so predictable. You are alive. That's already it."

The feline princess climbed onto the roof of the cabin, where years earlier, Gin and Rangiku had cohabited. The cat yawned lazily and curled up on the shaky roof of the shelter.

"I could not do it. I am not strong enough. I want to be strong enough. But I cannot do it alone."

"If you keep crying, you'll make tiny wrinkles on your forehead, old woman." Haineko purred sweetly, checking her claws lazily.

" Help me! Do not stay here! Do not stay idle!"Rangiku pleaded.

"Nothing compels you either to remain prostrate there like a fool.

Rangiku realized that Haineko was right. Haku-Fuku did not work in her inner world. She finally straightened up, feeling a bit shaky. Haineko welcomed her efforts with a round of applause.

" Progress is being made."

"Are you not going to help me?"

"Depends if it means I have to save the snake... I'm not ready to waste my time."

"Haineko. I did not ask you until now, I let you idle and waste your potential and today ... "

Haineko looked at her severely. She gave the most feral glare, her irises incandescent as if someone had cracked a match.

" You asked me everything, and I gave you everything, Rangiku Matsumoto. We have suffered your ingratitude. You are the only one to have wasted your potential ... Must I say ours... You do not know how to listen. You never see anything. You do not want to see anything. Have you ever opened your eyes to the darkness he hid inside him? "

Rangiku stepped back. Haineko roared like a lioness.

"No? You are such a burden, old flappy skin! Your jeremiads I found unbearable! You are not a princess! You are not even my master! It's not because you order that I obey! I obey because I want it!"

" I want to wake up ... Help me wake up from this! "

Haineko turned her back on Rangiku.

" Let me wake up! Haineko! Now !" Rangiku muttered.

"If I were you I wouldn't want to open my eyes right now... Maybe that monster was merciful to you for the first time."

"I'll save him with or without your help!"

"Really?" Rangiku nodded.

"With what magic are you going to fight Aizen Sousuke?"

"He is my life."

"No! I'm your life, Rangiku!"

"Gin, he gave me a reason to be... How many times did he pick me up on the floor half dead? I cannot remember one day when I did not know him. You do not remember it, but it's thanks to him that I found you! I would never have known who I was if he had not appeared in my life. What I am is because of him..."

" I remember perfectly, Rangiku. I remember for both of us."

"So you know I cannot live without him. I can watch him walk away. I can watch his footsteps in the snow. But I cannot lose sight of him. If I have to upset the rotation of this universe for him, I would ..."

Haineko jumped up to her.

" Really? "

" Without hesitation. "

"Even if it kills..."

"At least I would not lose him from my sight."

Haineko opened her mouth.

"You said the magic word, old hag! Good luck, Dumbass!"

A cloud of ashes enveloped Rangiku. The cloud dispelled in the air, she opened her eyes. She swept her tears with a shivering hand. She let herself roll to her side to catch her breath. The sky was blue without a hint of a cloud. She gripped Haineko's pommel forcefully and used it to get up.

"Thank you Haineko."

She murmured, staring at her zanpakutō. She straightened and leaped into the air. Her shunpo was not usually as fast as a captain's, but at that moment nothing could have stopped her from joining Gin. The ground trembled, and there was vibration in the air. An explosion sounded far away. A cloud of dust rose to the sky. Her stomach turned into knots again. Rangiku disappeared again and reappeared a tenth of a second later at Gin's bedside. She approached slowly, lest, at the slightest false movement, he disappears as if he had been all these years only a mere figment of her imagination. His right arm was torn off she found in horror. The gaping wound in his chest bled profusely. He was losing blood at a rapid pace. She put her hands to compress the artery before noticing that the arm was the least of her worries. His torso was cut all the way down. There was a hole the size of a coin where she could see his organs. Rangiku suppressed a howl of horror, ears in her eyes. Without opening his eyes, he touched her hands with bloody fingers. His lips had turned a pale violet and crimson, his eyes distinctly unfocused and dazed. She had arrived too late. No ! Impossible!

"Gin! Gin!" He did not move. "Please, Gin! Open your eyes?"

His lips moved at last. A faint gurgling sound escaped his throat and more blood.

" I am here. I'm here. It's okay ... You're going to... be fine... Orihime ... She ... She ... Captain Unohana ... Someone... Anyone... Oh, open your eyes!"

Rangiku turned his head to the sky. Anybody? She would accept the help of anyone? He did not open his eyes but cracked a smile instead. What he said afterward froze her blood.

"Sorry, Ran-chan! "

He apologized.

"No! No! No! Do not apologize. Not now! Please, do not apologize ... You bastard! You cannot do this to me!" Rangiku screamed and sobbed incoherently.

Please, she was losing him. A throbbing pain stung her chest. She squeezed his hand firmly determined not to let him go. Aizen's silhouette loomed behind the young woman, menacing and dark. But Rangiku did not care. "Gin! She turned to Aizen. She had no more pride, no more self-love, nothing. She begged him. The look of the former captain of the Fifth Division did not waver in the face of her distress.

"Gin!"

She held onto Haineko tight. She had not wanted this life. Becoming a shinigami had never been part of her dreams. She was already entirely happy to stand beside him. And then, one day, he was gone, leaving behind him only footprints in the snow. She had no choice but to follow him. It turned out that she liked working in the Gotei 13. She liked to be helpful while still keeping an eye on his back. How could she wake up in a world where he no longer existed? Why couldn't Aizen finish her? She could feel his sword behind her neck. He should do it. Just do it. It would be less painful, a gentler death.

Gin's eyes widened, and she felt him stir. More blood seeped through him painting the collapsed walls red. He was staring at her now with this sense of dread, pure, unaltered fear as if death itself was nothing but seeing Aizen's sword grazing her neck could literally destroy him. She felt suddenly relieved.

Rangiku raised her head and was surprised to find Ichigo Kurosaki standing there. There were a few things different about him, though she could not put the finger on it right away. For Aizen, she was nothing. He seemed to have found another prey in Ichigo. Her happiness counted for no one. She saw the sky reflected in her crystalline pupils. Gin was watching Ichigo too. Perched on a pile of rubble, Ichigo Kurosaki, 16-year-old substitute Shinigami seemed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. When you looked carefully, he was carrying his father. But there was no trace of what he once was. Nope, she saw nothing of the young man she had come to know during her short stay in the human world. It was all for the sake of saving the universe. She turned to Gin again since she recognized this strong determination. Ichigo put his burden down. For reasons unknown, she could not follow any of the conversations between Aizen and the high school student. She could only hear Gin's heart losing its rhythm like a broken music box. The time to blink, Aizen and Ichigo had disappeared. She looked down at Gin. His head bent over to the side, he looked at her, his blue eyes shining one last time with mischief. How dare he smile? How? How dare he leave her smiling? This man!

She rebelled and heard Haineko roar in her sheath. She released her zanpakutō with its first command.

" Unare, Haineko!"

The blade of her zanpakuto dispersed in a cloud of ashes. The millions of ash particles circled around them at high speed. Then as if she woke up this morning it came to her. "River of fire, Molten lava."

The ground began to tremble beneath them. Gin tried to move his head. Too weak, she saw him open an eye. His smile was gone. It was a good start. He tried to catch his hand. Does anyone want the truth? Forget all the vanities and whimpers of an old woman! If Gin dies, Rangiku Matsumoto's puzzle will find a way to survive. She would wander aimlessly, party often, and find a way to laugh when her captain broke a cup of tea. She would pretend to be a proper shinigami. She could do all that. With Haineko. She could survive. It was the only thing she could do after him. But it was not enough. Surviving was just not enough. It was not really what she wanted. She did not want a life without him. The rubble vibrated beneath her feet, and she watched Haineko jumped easily from pile to pile.

"Foolish old Hag! Did you just call me here?"

Blood was seeping through her nose, Rangiku smiled and nodded proudly. A red aura enveloped the atmosphere. You trust me? The question came out of nowhere. Who was she talking to? She felt her surge of raw reiatsu coursing through her veins.

Around her, the landscape changed. Several rocks were thrown into the air. Rangiku closed her eyes. She let herself be consumed by her reiatsu. May Haineko burn ... Let her boil ... And with her all the love she had for Gin Ichimaru ...

A giant cloud of ashes manifested behind her until it was everywhere, the center of the monster consisted of red feline eyes and sharpened teeth. The temperature was boiling fast in the epicenter as Haineko ignited every gas particles in the atmosphere.

Rangiku let Haineko guide her fist, and in the same motion, she embraced without hesitation what she was. The day that Gin, wrapped in a shihakusho far too wide for him, had announced that he would become a shinigami. She had, in turn, embrace the cause. She had embraced it all, never half-liking, Rangiku had become a shinigami, too. She was a grim reaper.

" **Ban-kai**!"

The ashes formed a compact sphere, contracting following the rhythm of the heartbeat of the young woman, brutal, wild.

"Shinkunofue... "

The heavens turned white again. The scarf around her neck turned black.

"Last bonfire... "

"Is this your wish?"

The Ash monster contracted behind her.

"It is my wish. Yes, let's have a last bonfire Haineko." She mentally told her Zanpakuto.

"Goodbye, old Hag!"

"Goodbye Haineko."

The ashes formed a compact sphere, contracting following the rhythm of the heartbeat of the young woman, brutal, wild. The heavens turned white again. Her hands in his silver hair, Rangiku raised her head to the sky. Her eyes took the color of gold, glittering in the darkness.

" **Last bonfire: Akarui Hikari Bāningu.** "

The universe seemed to freeze in a gray tone for half a second. Ichigo and Aizen remained frozen in the air. Tatsuki froze her hand a few inches away from Keigo to pull him away from where the shinigami woman was. Gin's eyes widened with stupor. What had she done? Such a reiatsu! She had never been so beautiful! Gin knew fear. As he was about to leave her behind, he knew fear and regrets ... And ... A black veil of ashes colored Rangiku's blonde hair black. Her reiatsu ... He exhaled his last breath and his body, stretched to the extreme, convulsed by leaving behind particles of reiatsu. Their pupils both opacified like black ink. The hand of the former captain of the Third Division fell to the ground softly. Haineko lit up the sky; the air became almost unbreathable. Neither Tatsuki nor Keigo had been able to free themselves from the gravitational force that had nailed them to the ground. The centrifugal force caused the swirl of ash to rush towards the ground. Just as fast as the cloud had climbed, just as quickly, it was again sucking to the ground. An explosion of light swept the city for a second while the tornado fell on the entwined bodies of Matsumoto Rangiku and Gin Ichimaru.

A deathly silence fell on the city. The ashes fell again in a thin shower. Rangiku exhaled one last time and fell back on Gin. The couple disappeared under a shroud of ashes.

Tatsuki lost her balance and fell back to the ground dragging Keigo in his fall. Without knowing why the girl burst into tears and snuggled into the arms of her classmate. She snorted before taking a deep breath. Keigo moaned.

"What just happened?" "

Do you think I know?"

"Where's Ichigo?"

Tatsuki shrugged again.

" Are they dead? They look dead. "

She shrugged again. A new explosion this time, more powerful, shook the ground again. And Keigo was propelled back with force. Izuru screamed and burst into tears as well. Then, it was once again the heavy silence that prevailed, only to be interrupted by the hoarse sobs of the redhead with glasses. Mizuihiro took a few steps towards the couple.

" Mizuihiro? What are you doing? You lost your mind?" Tatsuki worried.

"I do not think you should do this ..." Keigo said.

The little brown boy stepped forward anyway.

"Do you hear that?"

"No, I do not hear anything," Tatsuki muttered.

"I think it's over. I feel ... I feel it's over. That means Ichigo is alive, right? "Tatsuki grabbed Keigo's hand and joined Mizuihiro bravely. The rain of ashes had stopped. The sky was cloudless and blue again. She looked at the embracing couple. Neither the man nor the woman had moved, buried under an impressive layer of ashes. Tatsuki remarked absently that the man had his arm reattached.

* * *

Shinkunofue *: Crimson whistling claws

Akarui hikari bāningu*: Burning bright lights

I used Google so the translation may not be accurate. I wanted some things that sounded like Bleach lol.

Next chapter = Evolution


	2. Evolution

-2-

EVOLUTION

* * *

Ichigo Kurosaki

Shinigami Substitute of Karakura City

High school student

16 years old

Wants to save the world several times a day.

* * *

In different circumstances, Ichigo Kurosaki would have praised his sense of timing. But when he stepped on the debris of the collapsed building that had housed his favorite arcade he could not help thinking that things had gone too far in his absence. Aizen watched him from a distance with an apathetic look, somewhat annoyed by this new interruption. The man, or rather the creature before him, stared at him from head to toe. He lowered his head passively.

The Lieutenant of the Tenth Division was leaning over a fatally injured Gin Ichimaru with a look of pure horror in her eyes, which would give him cold sweat and chills. Aizen had not left his observation post. He unceremoniously dropped Isshin down. His father completely worn out by the Dangai Experience did not protest the treatment that Ichigo inflicted on his muscles.

A light breeze swept a lock of hair on his face. The chain that held Tensa Zengetsu made a metallic clatter breaking away the quiet harmony and the sobs of Matsumoto Rangiku.

" Thank you, dad." He murmured.

"Ichigo ... It's Ichigo? Why is his hair so long? Looks like he's grown up too?"

Ichigo could hear the concern in his friends' voices, but he ignored them at first to check on his sisters. Yuzu and Karin were safe. He did not feel them far, about sixty kilometers, at the clinic, at the other end of the city. At this distance, Ichigo knew that they should be safe. He would make sure of it. He turned to the group of high school students.

"Keigo ... Tatsuki ... Mizuiro, Honsho, Kanonji ..."

He did not recognize the last man. He was a shinigami he had never met before. He decided to relax the atmosphere when he realized that his appearance had stunned his friends so much their jaws were on the floor.

" Imoyama-san?"

The man with the afro widened his eyes.

"Who? It's Kurumadani Zonnusuke. If you do not know, do not try to guess!"

Ichigo greeted his remark with barely veiled indifference.

"Guys, stay here! Do not move."

Tatsuki did not seem fooled for a minute. There were a few things that had changed in Ichigo, and it had nothing to do with his physical appearance. The girl felt a shiver run through her neck. She could still feel Aizen's power crush her soul. But nothing emanated from Ichigo, and somehow that was worse. Nothing. Just a strong sense of emptiness. Just a few months ago, by comparison, she had felt the opposite at Ichigo's place. He was vibrating with such a strong energy. Ichigo swept the scene coldly.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. Are you really Kurosaki Ichigo?" Aizen asked.

An air of incomprehension momentarily obscured his face. For a minute stretching to infinity, the two men gauged each other.

Ichigo did not have the slightest apprehension. The gentle hiss of the breeze played a sad melody in Tensa Zengetsu's chain. It seemed to him of trivial importance to extend this moment to infinity, but he needed to unbalance his adversary. So this diversion was better than nothing. He looked at the mutilated body of Gin Ichimaru. A few dozen hypotheses to explain the defeat of Aizen's old ally came to mind. He found none that did not imply that Gin turned against his mentor. There was only one person in the assembly to be able to bring such injuries to a skilled warrior like Gin Ichimaru: Aizen Sousuke or rather the thing that looked vaguely like a hollow butterfly in front of him.

Why? He thought back to his last fight with Gin. He had failed miserably under the mocking gaze of the silver-haired shinigami. But Gin had allowed him to become aware of his weaknesses. He had allowed him to understand more quickly what Zengetsu expected of him. Gin had opened his eyes. Gin could have killed him. Instead, he just gave him a lesson.

As if on point, Gin turned his head toward him, smiling. For the first and last time, Ichigo noted that Gin Ichimaru had blue eyes that vaguely reminded him of the color of a cloudless sky.

" What do you mean ?"

Aizen continued to fix him impassively.

" If you're really Kurosaki Ichigo, I'm disappointed. I do not feel the slightest spiritual pressure coming from you."

Not waiting for Ichigo's answer, Aizen continued. Ichigo lost the thread of the conversation. He did not listen to Aizen. No, all his attention had shifted toward Gin and Rangiku. The distress he could read in the lieutenant's eyes was to such a degree, it was difficult to merely witness it while doing nothing. It reminded him of things he thought had been long buried inside him. He glanced at his father. He knew this hopeless look. His memories were confused. But the day that that damn hollow had taken his mother had also been the day he had seen the same despair in his father's eyes. He met Gin's skewed gaze. He read more than he could expect in his eyelids now that he was not purposefully hiding behind a mask. Pride. Trust. Relief.

Ichigo came to a consensus. If he was no longer the young boy who naively tried to fight against a general of Aizen's army entirely unprepared, Gin was no longer the said general. If Gin did indeed try to come between Aizen and his classmates, if he had really turned against his old master, that was enough for him. He would take matters into his hands from there. He would take over.

" Aizen, let's go somewhere else. I do not want to fight here."

He was not surprised by Captain Pride's answer.

"What a meaningless suggestion! These are the words of someone who pretends to compete with me."

Ichigo did not look away from Gin. He could feel his reiatsu weaken, go out like a lantern wick in the night. Rangiku had realized too. She held her breath. Ichigo could not stay there. He had to protect what was left.

"There is nothing to worry about that, defeating you won't require the destruction of Karakura, you'll be ... "

Ichigo did not give Aizen time to finish his sentence. He disappeared in a fraction of a second, reappeared in front of the former captain of the Fifth Division, brutally grabbed his face in one hand and dragged him manu militari further. They traveled for miles in the space of the flapping of wings of a butterfly. Arrived at the destination, Ichigo got rid of his burden with disgust. Aiden hit the ground at high speed, dug a crater several meters high, and raised a cloud of dust in the air.

He said something else, but Ichigo ignored him.

"It's time to finish, Aizen."

The fight was short. On a human scale, it only lasted about five minutes. Minutes during which, Ichigo let Aizen soliloquize while he made him bite the dust without much effort. Drunk on his powers, Aizen was literally unable to shut up for two seconds. Ichigo countered each senseless attack like a master teaching the art of combat to a fiery and arrogant young disciple. That alone should have alerted Aizen. But hubris was eating away at what was left of his humanity quickly. Nothing register in Aizen's mind quite like the fact Ichigo managed to block Kyouka Suigetsu with one hand.

Aizen froze in response.

To tell the truth, Ichigo was scared. But he was not afraid if it makes any sense. How could he explain the burden of knowing the extent and limits of his power? The loneliness we feel when we reach the border of what is imaginable. In that, he and Aizen were similar, even if the latter would undoubtedly spend hours disserting on the issue. Just witnessing the annoyance in Aizen's gaze, he knew he was not far from the truth. The ground vibrated beneath them. A blast sliced through granite and stone. Time was frozen. Finally, neither Aizen nor he could move for an infinitesimal second. A foreign reiatsu, raw and unbridled, ripped the thin frontier between heaven and earth. It was not as powerful as Aizen or Ichigo. It was not even sure it could be deemed at the level of a captain. Yet it split the air disturbing the gravitational field of the earth. The sky was colored red and then white. It felt incredibly warm as if the atmosphere ignited itself.

Ichigo let out a sigh. Aizen pulled back. His face distorted into a very human expression of discontent.

"Why are you so surprised?" Ichigo asked. "Are you terrified that some things are happening before your eyes that you cannot understand? "

The question troubled Aizen. On his own accord, the man-butterfly retreated. He stood on a cliff resuming his heated monologue from earlier under the indifferent gaze of Ichigo. He cast a Kido spell of the highest level. But it was all wasted energy, and nothing had wavered the determination in Ichigo's eyes. Nothing had loosened the hold he had on Tensa Zengetsu. Nothing could have. His fist did not even shiver when he broke the spell like a glass mirror. His determination knew no flaw. His resolution hugged his sword tightly.

"It looks like you have trouble understanding. I am stronger than you are now. It was not your sword that destroyed those mountains. It was mine."

He had barely finished his words that he appeared in front of Aizen in a Shunpo and let Zengetsu carve into the flesh. A wounded Aizen took refuge on another cliff.

"It is strange. You asked me why I kept my distance and here you are doing the same. Should I ask you why now? Why do you take your distance? "

Aizen remained silent for a moment, staring at Ichigo's words.

"Are you happy to have stopped my sword? Are you happy to have destroyed my Kido? Are you glad you managed to hurt me? Do not forget your place, human!"

It was then that he evolved again. Ichigo observed him from a distance. There was only one thing that bothered him. Since he really didn't know how this would end, besides the killing Aizen part, he would have liked to have said goodbye to her. He would have wanted to tell Rukia that she had changed his life. Whatever happened he would never forget her, and he would be forever grateful. He dodged the new Hogyuku attack. He was ready.

A gigantic surge of energy rushed toward him, and he just stood there. A blast of pure spiritual energy burned and scarred his forearm. He would not move, of course. Too much was at stake. It was okay if he could not tell her. He let Aizen tried a new attack. Maybe she already knew she was that important to him; their friendship made him a better man. She had not only spare him from certain death, but the Shinigami had also instilled in him the desire to live life fully, which after his mother's death was no easy task.

"Do you hear me, Kurosaki Ichigo?"

She gave him the means to fight, that Rukia Kuchiki. She enabled him the strength to protect those he loves.

Ichigo raised his head defiantly towards the monster.

" Is that really all you have in your stomach? I'm going to put an end to all this," Ichigo sighed deeply. " I'm tired of listening to your prattles !"

There was a loud metallic noise like thunder as he moved Tensa Zengetsu in position.

" I'll show you the last Getsuga Tensho. "

Ichigo straightened up to face his opponent. This shape?

He was coming to the end of the road. He was at the end of his apprenticeship. Today, he understood perfectly Zengetsu. He could thank his Zanpakuto. Zengetsu had only known loneliness so far, just like him before he met Kuchiki Rukia until they both learn to protect the ones they love. He accepted being one with Zengetsu was the biggest commitment he will have to take. It was the last path. He was enveloped in darkness, growing cloudy ribbons of it. His black mane waved in the wind. Bandages hid his face. Ichigo had embraced what Zengetsu represented to become Getsuga himself.

"Using this technique, I will lose all my Shinigami powers forever. That's the meaning of final."

Aizen faced him for a few minutes, in complete shock.

" Impossible! A simple human cannot outdo me. "

Ichigo closed his eyes and reached for the sides. He felt his power escape him; his spiritual pressure mingled with the air crackling. It was all just spiritual pressure covering the ground. It was all black energy sizzling in the air.

"Mugetsu."

The black coffin thus formed fell on Aizen with the strength of an army of thousands of Shinigami. When the black hole dissipated, Ichigo stepped on the ground again. It was done. He had made the ultimate sacrifice. He had given back everything that was to be given. He had given up the slightest bit of spiritual pressure borrowed. When Aizen's body collided again with the ground, Ichigo watched wearily as his body regenerated with Hogyouko.

"Are you still able to regenerate? "

Ichigo had barely gotten out his words that the ground opened under his feet figuratively. His reiatsu. He had given everything or almost ... Shit! He thought. His strength was abandoning him. He stumbled and found himself face down. Aizen won.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, you have lost. Look, my Zanpakuto disappears. You, more than anyone else should know what that means, don't you? Back to square one!"

He found himself again at the mercy of blabbermouth Aizen. He was going to die this was certain, but as a bonus, Aizen was about to give him a special dose of fatal boredom to hasten his passing.

" The hogyouku has decided that I have no need for a zanpakuto. Just like you who no longer possesses that power! This is the end! This... What is this? Kido?"

He sighed. Silence finally. Ichigo looked up. Running out of uncontrollable spasms, Aizen roared in pain.

"It looks like it finally activated."

Urahara Kisuke walked towards them quietly, twirling his cane between his fingers. Ichigo closed his eyes. Urahara always made the coolest entrance.

* * *

Urahara Kisuke

Ex-Captain of the 12th Division of Gotei 13

Founding President of the Shinigami Institute of Research and Development

Former Third Seat of the Second Division

Detention Unit Corps Commander

Member of the Onmitsukido,

Friend of Yoruichi Shihouin

Owner of the Urahara Magic Shop

Every time he made a mathematical error the migration rates in Soul Society escalates exponentially.

* * *

The moment the Kido spell was activated, his pocket watch had started ticking in his pocket. Kisuke knew what that meant. No, only they were still alive a few more minutes. But it also meant Ichigo had gone through with his mission. He had to admit that he had never been so impressed with a young boy's determination. Urahara then emerged from the shadows and headed for the place of the duel.

" Now you have lost your powers, so my success is even more brilliant! It's over ... What is it? Kido? When?"

Kisuke twirled his cane in the air.

" Looks like it finally activated."

" Urahara Kisuke ... It's you ..."

Kisuke glanced at Ichigo. Really, he could not have done anything without the boy. He could never have managed to keep Aizen busy for such a long fight. He had to thank Gin Ichimaru as well. A spectacular combination of circumstances helped to stop the rise of Aizen. He could already hear Yoruichi sighing, yelling and cursing his good luck.

"You did this?"

" I did. I planted this kido before you completed your transformation without your knowledge... In your most unguarded moment ... I inserted it into your body hidden behind another line of Kido.

" It was there ..."

" It's a seal. I anticipated that you would probably merge with the Hogyouku ... and that it would be impossible to kill you. That's why I developed this Kido to seal the Hogyouku's powers forever."

Aizen burst out laughing.

"I see. It's a shame, you see ... Behold, I'm moving to an even higher level of evolution! A Kido of this caliber cannot hope to reach me!"

Kisuke adjusted his hat with a smile and lowered his head humbly. Aizen watched his regression with horror. The man was changing it was accurate enough however he was returning to his most basic form. His spiritual power was losing in intensity.

"What? All the power I obtained ... is disappearing!"

Kisuke always believed that the human factor was determinant in the progress of science. It was the fallibility of the scientist that allowed him to make progress. If he had not made so many mistakes, he would never have been so close to finding a solution.

" The reason the seal only activated now is that your power has weakened. The Hougyoku is saying ... he does not recognize you as its Master ..."

" Ridiculous! Impossible! It is not possible! URAHARA KISUKE! I despise you! Why, with all this intellect do you refuse to act? Why do you lower yourself to serve that thing? "

" By things, you mean the Spirit King? "

Even if he explained to Aizen everything that tied him to this world, it would be a waste, so Kisuke chose once again to take the easiest path. He was no god. He tried to remember it every day when his curiosity went beyond him. There was no denying that there was a time, he was still young when he sought to join the gods in their crystal pantheon. But before it was too late, Yoruichi helped him. Tessai helped him. They forced him to keep his feet on earth. They made sure he did not forget that humility was just as necessary as intelligence. His friends also reminded him of the substantial cost of his research on the ones that supported him. It was too dangerous to question the meaning of the rotation of the universe.

" I see. So, you've seen it too. Without the Spirit King, Soul Society would collapse on itself. The King is the cornerstone of this foundation. Without a cornerstone, the whole structure would crumble and with it the world as we know it.

" These are the words of a loser! A winner would not talk about the state of the world as it is, but how the world should be."

Kisuke Urahara shrugged. Well, what do you say? He had been at the losing end a few times no need to lie. But well, he always managed to do it with class. Aizen could learn a little from him. One by one, the allies of Soul Society borrowed the Senkaimon to join Karakura. Among them, the first keeper of the Hogyouku, Rukia Kuchiki. Kisuke could never say how sorry he was he had come to this. It had taken him way too long to understand where Aizen was coming from. For years, all the clues had been under his nose. But it's as if he could not see, did not want to acknowledge his involvement in this tragedy.

Although he was presently trying to cheer up Ichigo Kurosaki, what had happened here was not a perfect and fair conclusion. He heard laughter around him as the youths gathered together to celebrate their victory. This alleviates his remorse. Tomorrow would be another day, Kisuke told himself. Ichigo could return to a normal life. He would go back to his high school and his friends. Even if it was not really what he wanted.

Orihime let go of a cry of terror, and he turned once again toward the group. Ichigo had just collapsed, and Kisuke knew well what it meant. He lowered his hat on his eyes. But he was unable to avoid Rukia Kuchiki's glare. She was the only one who did not rush to Ichigo's bedside. Instead, the brunette stared at him with a gleam of anger. He could not help but notice that all the mauve and orange of the sky reflected in her big dark eyes while the sun was setting in the background.

Yes, it was a happy ending. Or maybe not.

* * *

Next chapter= The only stage of grief that matters


	3. The only stage of grief that matters

**-3-**

**THE ONLY STAGE OF GRIEF THAT MATTERS**

* * *

Kuchiki Rukia

Member of the Thirteenth Division

Friend of Ichigo Kurosaki

Sister of Kuchiki Byakuya

Lost a lot in the battle and don't know where to start ...

* * *

It had been a fortnight since the battle of Karakura ended. Life went on. Rukia stared at her reflection in the Onose River. The surface of the water rippled gently along with the current. Perched on a high-voltage pole, Rukia gazed at the serene city that lay below. A swarm of cars in the distance snaked down the road. Rukia was fascinated by the colorful rings formed by their blurred headlights. The city was just back to what it was before all this history.

Aizen and The Hogyouko were sealed forever in a Kido prison sentenced to 20,000 years of confinement, several lives of shinigami. The world had what he wanted. Everyone was safe. Of course, there had been considerable losses on both sides. But, there was always collateral damages in a war. That's probably what Byakuya-Sama would have said.

Rukia jumped between the electrical poles, from buildings to buildings, from roofs to roofs. She tip-toed over the balcony of Orihime's apartment. The girl was sleeping on her futon, her bay window half-opened. Rukia could hear her snores through the window, and she could easily imagine what kind of dream the redhaired could be having now. Something peaceful she hoped. Chad was playing the guitar as she landed on the roof of the building across the street. He looked up and waved in her direction. Rukia silently waved back and continued her visit.

She remained perched on Ichigo's rooftop for a few minutes. He was moving a lot in his sleep. She knew he always did that when he was having this dream about his mother. Kon snored, murmuring her name. She smiled. At least someone had not forgotten about her. Isshin stepped out of the shadows, a cigarette in his hand. Ichigo's father winked in her direction. She returned the favor before disappearing, leaving behind her only a distinct fading image, like a fading memory.

She reappeared perched on an electric pole. She took out her zanpakutō and opened the private portal of the Kuchiki clan. In fact, she had gone to earth without referring to her Taicho. She did not think he would have genuinely been opposed to it, and she did not disobey any direct order, but the war had left the Sereitei in ruins. There were so many projects to supervise. The 13 divisions of the court were still understaffed. She knew Captain Ukitake was very busy and he currently needed all hands on deck. A hearing was held daily at Central 46 to resolve the various administrative problems. Soul Society as a whole had to organize itself very quickly to be able to welcome prisoners of war of the highest importance.

It was still dark when she crossed the family garden. Even though the air was warming slowly. The sky was a pastel mauve inviting dreams. The wooden floor creaked under her feet. Rukia did not meet anyone in the corridors. The few maids had retired for the night. In any case, the left wing of the manor where her room was located was among the least frequented. Rukia knew she was observed though. Members of the Kuchiki family's personal guard were concealed in every corner.

It was not uncommon for her to spend the night here. Byakuya-sama spent most of his nights in his division close to his men. The mansion was quiet, especially at night. Her room at the Manor was much more pleasant than the dormitories reserved for officers without a seat. It was the only privilege she did not refuse herself like her last girlish whim, a vanity. Her futon was spread on the floor with her favorite "Chappy" quilt. The flowers in large vases were changed regularly. A silk tapestry adorned the wall. In a trunk near her bed, she had piled up her collection of Chappy and other relics of the human world like the colorful straw of a brick of juice. Instead of going to bed Rukia paced in the dim-lit room.

She should never have gone back to Karakura. She should be working hard instead to help rebuild the Sereitei. Spending her nights flying over the city would only cause trouble, the kind of trouble that starts a war. She won't go back. Ichigo no longer needed her. He was not her problem anymore. He had found his high school, his friends, his life from before. The ease with which Ichigo had chosen to give up his powers had taken Rukia off guard. Yes, he did it for the greater good. He did it because it was Ichigo and there was nothing he would not sacrifice to protect his friends. She knew all that. She did not even understand why this decision made her so angry. It was a very selfish reaction. They would not see each other again. Big Deal?!

She was not alone. She had responsibilities here too. She thought of Renji, who was trying so hard to cheer her up. Renji was her constant support. Her world was no longer the same. But who would complain? The threat Aizen Sousuke represented had been lifted. It's true, Ichigo had changed her life like no other before him, not even Kaien-Dono. He crashed into her, in a collision of spirits, with his brooding character, his ego, his honor and his constant desire to fight fate. He saved her time and time again. He made her brave. He made her wish to be strong so she could protect what was important. Since she'd know him, she had not known a moment of respite since. But ... it's not like she wanted to... Just Rukia! She grumbled, frustrated with herself.

Today, there was so much that she was asked to accept. She had absolutely no time to digest everything. Rukia let out a hoarse cry. She burst into tears and regretted it immediately. How could she cry in a moment like this? Rukia stared at her selfish reflection in the mirror. What if everyone was happy with this new order of things but her? Who said her happiness should matter more? She was so selfish. How could she feel like crying? It's not like they were no longer friends.

A familiar figure emerged from the darkness behind her. Rukia let out a quiet gasp of surprise, straightened herself, and wiped her tears promptly.

" Nii-Sama..."

The captain of the Sixth Division observed a minute of silence on the threshold. He was dressed less formally than his captain's uniform, having also discarded his kenseikan. The light breeze blowing his hair brought with it the fragrance of cherry blossoms. Byakuya looked carefully around the room before stepping in, trying to hide his uneasiness, distinctly failing at it miserably, resigned to make a fool of himself.

In forty years she had never seen him pass in front of her room.

Rukia blinked, dazed. He laid eyes on her, studying her. Hands behind his back, he seemed to hesitate between greeting her and continuing his nocturnal walk.

" Rukia, you're up early." He said kindly.

Surprise forced Rukia to open wide her deep blue eyes, then she took a deep breath, her face turning a deep shade of pink. Having that effect on most members of the opposite sex, Byakuya did not think much of it.

"Third seat Kotetsu-san asked me to help her organize the training session for the new shinigami apprentices."

Byakuya nodded.

"Nii-Sama is also up early." She added.

The first light of the day reshaped the scenery, giving soft pastel colors to the landscape. Rukia finally noticed that he was only wearing a navy blue Hakama with his Zanpakutō moored to his belt. His Kosode was still open, revealing a little bit more than usual. He ran a hand through his sweaty black hair. After a long pause, he took another careful step towards his adopted sister.

"General Yamamoto requested the presence of the captains at a meeting this morning." He said as a simple explanation.

Because Rukia was so obviously entranced by what he just said, Byakuya felt compelled to continue. Little did he knew she was not as much intrigued by what he just said, but by the simple sight of him in her room.

" Hostile 18 woke up. Captain Soi-Fon, Captain Ukitake and I are in charge of conducting interrogations to determine the chronology of the events preceding the defection of Aizen Sousuke."

Rukia let out a new hiccup of surprise. She nodded.

"It's a lot of work. "

"True, but we cannot hope to rebuild the Sereitei without these meetings."

Rukia nodded with more conviction.

"Hay! Besides, Nii-Sama ... "

Byakuya stared at the wooden chest that was lying in one corner of the room. The oversized ears of one of Rukia's white Chappy protruded under the lid. Without a word, he turned his attention to her.

" I was wondering if you would consider letting me pass the test again to gain access to a seat in the thirteenth division."

The face of Byakuya remained impassive.

" I trained a lot. .. Without being presumptuous, I believe that ... I think I might be able to be more useful to my division. I know I have ... disappointed you in the past by failing so...miserably."

Rukia bowed her head respectfully.

"I am deeply sorry if I caused you any embarrassment.

Byakuya remained silent. He turned his head to the mirror that captured their two silhouettes. She had not grown an inch since she had been adopted into his family.

" Rukia. I do not want to interfere, but you were crying when I arrived, weren't you?

Byakuya did not want to take this gruff tone. But even after forty years, her presence at the manor did not fail to astonish him. He, who only lived to serve, honor his family, and run Squad Six, was automatically lost when it came to Rukia and taking care of her. He had not been programmed for that.

" It's nothing. A speck of dust in my eyes." She said with a huge smile.

Byakuya remained neutral.

"It is said that Ichigo Kurosaki is doing well in the human world. He recovered very quickly from his injuries and the loss of his power."

Rukia lowered her head.

"He is human after all. Mortal. Resilience is what they are best known for."

Rukia winced at his words. Byakuya sighed and prepared to leave. He hardly turned his back that the tears began pooling up again in Rukia's eyes. He felt their moisture in the air. Her reiatsu was weak and inconstant.

" I should know this, right? It's just... "

He paused on the threshold without turning around waiting for her to continue.

" I know. I know he is alive. I know it's probably the best thing that has ever happened since our roads crossed. He will no longer be dragged against his will in shinigami business. He is much better without all that."

Byakuya gave a sarcastic sneer, a strange sound coming from him. For a few seconds, his stern features relaxed.

" Kurosaki Ichigo likes to interfere in our affairs at least as much as he likes to breathe."

Rukia's eyes widened, and a smile cracked on her lips. Her brother made a point there.

" You have responsibilities here." He added a bit more harshly than he intended. Rukia's smile disappeared immediately.

" I know ... I am truly sorry."

"No. 'You have responsibilities' is what I should probably tell you. The happiness of others, law, and order. That's what a Kuchiki upholds at all costs. But I know firsthand it can be good to think only of oneself at times."

* * *

Kuchiki Byakuya

Captain of the Sixth Division of Gotei 13

Leader of the Kuchiki Clan

Adopted brother of Kuchiki Rukia

He violated the established laws so many times that he no longer asks for permission to cross the street even when the light is red.

* * *

Why did he say that? He was only encouraging what was for him a complete heresy. Rukia could not deceive anyone. She resembled Hisana in many ways, with this little thing about her that seemed fragile and vulnerable, but which was instead stubborn and willful. However in the frame of mind, she was in, she would not stand the lieutenant test for two minutes. He knew she had the skills though. The way she managed to get rid of Aaroniero, Arrancar level soldier testified in her favor.

He remembered how her first test happened shortly after Kaien Shiba's death. Byakuya did not have to interfere much at the time even if he made sure that she would no longer be considered for this kind of position. At the time, he and Ukitake had just come to the agreement that Rukia was not ready.

He heard her sniffed again. He found Ichigo Kurosaki terribly annoying, even more so than Abarai Renjin, and that should say something. But Rukia changed so much, since she met him, to the point that at times he did not recognize her. Yes, she did smile more often, and in many ways, it was all for the better. When he met her, he realized that although they may look somewhat alike. She had nothing in common with Hisana. She could show authority, wisdom, and a practical sense, which had always been lacking to his wife. Rukia was resourceful and independent. She did not ask for constant surveillance like Hisana. She was more like him. She appreciated her loneliness. But Ichigo may have changed all that, and he knew the danger it could be to people like them.

After being informed that she used the Senkaimon again to travel to Karakura, Byakuya had spent the night training. He did not stay up to wait for her obviously. It was just a coincidence that he would be staying at the mansion more often these days. It was even more of a coincidence that he had decided to stop by when he had felt her reiatsu close. He confessed nevertheless that these frequent incursions to Karakura left him thoughtful. He caressed the soft material of his Tekkou, distractedly. Rukia sniffed again. He kept his back turned to give her some privacy, but it was unnerving a situation.

" I'm sorry, Nii -Sama. I don't want to cause you any more grief. But I really would like to make myself useful."

" The exam will be very strict this year. "

Rukia, standing before him, hung to each word.

"I get up four hours before sunrise to have time to train. I can spend an hour or two on your training. "

Byakuya could not believe that he had just offered to train her. He believed even less that he was currently holding his breath while waiting for her answer. Maybe ...

" Nii-Sama, I'll be honored!" She cried out excitedly." Thank you Nii-Sama! I will work hard."

She leaned respectfully again. Byakuya nodded and was ready to leave the room again. He clenched his fists a little more before stopping again on the threshold. To live for oneself. He returned to the room, grabbed Rukia by her shoulders, and gather the young woman into his arms.

"Nii-Sama?"

"You fought well, Rukia. "

He whispered in her hair. He did not give her time to close her eyes to find comfort in his embrace and disappeared from the room in a flash step.

One hour later, when he crossed the courtyard of the first division to find Renji in front of the grand council room waiting for him, he still could not handle the spasm of reiatsu who was clutching his left hand. Renji greeted him very formally and escorted him to the meeting room. He left his lieutenant at the door. Among the firsts to arrive, Byakuya was welcomed by captains Soifon, Ukitake, and Kyoraku. Ukitake even asked him about Rukia. He had vaguely mumbled that she was okay. Fortunately, he did not have to wait long before the others made their entrance.

General Yamamoto sat down in his seat. The loss of his arm did not seem to hinder him. For the next half-hour, the leader of the Gotei 13 enunciated the topics on the agenda, ranging from the renovation of the Sogyouku Hill and several administrative buildings to the appointments of three new squad captains. There were three available seats and few postulants. Kenpachi stared at Byakuya with a smirk that revealed his sharp canines.

Oh, when the man was in a good mood, it did not bode well. Kenpachi touched the guard of the rusted thing he dared to call his zanpakutō. Byakuya remained neutral. He was above that kind of childish provocation. But if Kenpachi came looking for him, he will easily answer the call.

It was inconceivable that those who caused the most damage were also the ones who did the least. He resisted the urge to shake his head. It would be spending too much effort on him. Kenpachi and his wild division of savages always found a way to have fun. Their arrival at Hueco Mundo had interrupted their last duel, but he was confident about the eventual outcome of such a fight. Byakuya resisted the desire to smile and turned his attention to the captain-general.

"The funds allocated for the restoration of the Sogyouku hill were transferred. The construction will begin tomorrow morning. I wish to reiterate my gratitude to the Kuchiki clan who advanced the entire sum."

Byakuya bent slightly politely. He did contribute greatly to the destruction of the hill, to begin with, it was normal for him to fund the repair.

Rethinking about the Sogyouku Hill led him to think of Ichigo Kurosaki, something he did not want to do. So he scanned the big hall for entertainment. Soi-Feng, Unohana, Komamura, and Ukitake listened intently to Yamamoto. His straw hat shielding his eyes, Kyoraku slept standing as usual. The abilities of certain captains did not cease to amaze him. Kurotsuchi also seemed in a good mood. He imagined that this had to do with the awakening of hostile 18 which in this science freak's twisted mind may sound like the beginning of torture party sessions. He knew Kurotsuchi wanted nothing more than probe and autopsied the corpse. He knew because he could never shut his mouth about it. There was also the progress of his research in Hueco Mundo that had him pretty giddy like a schoolgirl. He refused to flesh out his hypothesis further. Everything about Kurotsuchi was worthy of lifting the stomach.

Hitsugaya, with his arms crossed in front of him, looked extremely worried. The young boy was staring at the empty space next to Zaraki Kenpachi, swaying nervously from one leg to the other. Byakuya clenched his fist again. It had been Gin Ichimaru's favorite spot.

How quaint!

* * *

Next chapter = "His fangs"


	4. His fangs

* * *

**Hitsugaya Tōshirō**

Captain of the Tenth Division of Gotei 13

Childhood friend of Momo Hinamori

He is the only one in Soul Society to possess the ability to burn ice in a cloudless sky when he'd rather walk on water.

* * *

" It's time to switch to the daily reports." Announced General Yamamoto.

"Soifon-Taicho?"

"Our workforce is complete and operational. The second division had done its best these past few weeks, disposing of the most threatening Arrancars in Las Noches. On 425 targets assessed, 202 confirmed killed, 82 made prisoners. But we are confident that by the end of next month, we will have dispatched all the targets assessed. "

"What about the remaining Espadas?" Jūshirō asked.

"We only counted three potential targets on the run... Twelve division is joining resources to help us locate them."

Mayuri nodded with a maniacal grin.

"Well, it is as Soifon-taicho described. We are doing the utmost to find these low-class creatures. Since Soifon-taicho promised us first dibs on their corpses, I will honor my part of the deal. I made sure Squad twelve know how high the stakes are by threatening them with sleep deprivation. I shall get results soon."

No one flinched. Mayuri was a gross individual, and this was to be expected.

"What if they no longer present a threat?" Shunsui Kyōraku asked. He was always brave enough, along with Jūshirō, to ask the most difficult questions.

"They are Espadas. They are a threat to Soul Society by definition." Soifon replied dryly.

"You may not have caught my meaning..."

"I assure you that I did. Yamamoto's order was quite clear."

Yamamoto nodded.

"Ay, I did order a complete cleaning of Las Noches. We must take advantage strategically. I know some of you may have ethical concerns since Aizen was the one who allegedly turned those individuals against us. With him gone, some may wonder if peace is something attainable between our different species. They are hollows indeed, modified hollows but still. All they want is chaos. It's in their essence. I will not risk any more lives on an optimistic assumption. They are to be considered extremely dangerous, and they are to be dealt with most swiftly and efficiently. Please continue your report, Soifon-Taicho."

The brunet nodded contentedly. Soifon was a prideful being. She never liked her ethics being questioned. It would never change.

" Also, the Shihouin Estate was unsealed after review, and I personally gave back her access key to the leader of the clan. The monitoring of the family's money accounts has also been suspended. Obviously, we have offered our most sincere apologies in the name of the Goteijūsantai to Yoruichi-dono, Urahara Kisuke, and to the wrongfully accused vizards as well for the unfair sanctions of the past."

" Good." Saluted Yamamoto, praising the thoughtfulness of his officer. Soifon blushed a little, very happy with herself.

He continued.

" Central 46 has strongly recommended, in light of recent events, to postpone the appointment of a new captain for the third division of a month, Lieutenant Izuru strongly shares this point of view in his last report. This division lost 58% of its workforce. Just before the war, Izuru-Fukutaicho still had to register one resignation a day. This situation has been unheard of. It worries me greatly. I want all of you to take time engaging in dialogues with your subordinates to prevent any risks of massive departures. We must not let what happened, happened again. It is part of the duty of a captain to attend to the physical and emotional welfare of his underlings."

Nobody made any comment, but all listened carefully. Even Shunsui pushed back his hat to stare at the old man. Hitsugaya met Captain Kuchiki's furtive gaze and groaned inwardly. He felt watched. It was like he was the butt of a secret joke they were all in on. Of course, there was a chance it was all in his head, but somehow the atmosphere was heavy with innuendos, as each captain reacted Yamamoto's words. Captain Kuchiki remained neutral as always while Kenpachi grinned. But Shunsui, Sajin, and Jushiro nodded firmly.

"I, therefore, approve the suspension of all appointments till further notice. It may not be a bad thing to take our time to think about our next move. Unohana-Taicho? "

" Unit is 100% operational. We were able to send home 80% of the wounded. Hiyori Sarugaki left the infirmary yesterday to return to Karakura. The other Vizards had followed her."

"What is to be made of the Vizards now that they've been publically exonerated?" Shunsui asked."Do you think they could be reinstated, Sotaicho?"

"We discussed this very matter with Shinji Hirako in the presence of Unohana-Taicho and Ukitake-Taicho just the day before. It seemed to me that none of them had any intention to reprise the mantle of captains. Rose is the only one who asked to be officially discharged to get back to his family in the Noban district, where his wife and daughter are waiting for him. Of course, I granted his request with full pension benefits. The gotei 13 do not like to keep debts. But the others, well, they could not settle on what to do next. So we let them go for now..."

"They appeared to be not only a little distrustful of our organization but still a little resentful as well. I think we can all agree it's understandable considering the circumstances." Ukitake said a bit embarrassed.

Unohana nodded. Shunsui and Komamura seemed to agree as well.

"We almost skinned their asses because of that manipulative bastard Aizen! Big Deal! Who gives a fuck?! If they wanna bitch and moan about it all day, that's all on them! We have no time to waste on these pussies! We need fresh blood! Let's hurry with this shit!" Kenpachi finally groaned.

Well! That was harsh! But unbeknownst to the universe, Hitsugaya thought that this ruffian just made a point! Tõshiro could only nod half in despair at that realization. He saw captain Kuchiki nod. Mayuri rolled his eyes, and Soi-fon shrugged. He was immediately relieved that he was not currently under a weird spell. Kenpachi making sense did really happen. They had better things to do than to accommodate the Vizards. He said that while considering himself a friend of them.

"Well, while I may share your point of view, Zaraki-Taicho, I truly hope we can build a lasting peace between our two groups. We are more efficient as allies than as enemies."

The captains all agreed at once. Yamamoto turned to Unohana-Taicho once more.

" Lieutenant Hinamori is still recovering from her operation. The organ regeneration was rather successful. Lieutenant Matsumoto is still in a deep coma. Her condition is stable. But it is impossible to determine when or whether she will be able to wake up someday..."

Retsu paused for a minute, trying to choose well her next word. "Neurologically speaking, she has minimal brain activity. But she had shown signs of improvement as of late; all hope is not lost."

Hitsugaya saw his anger begin to burgeon, grow inside him, and settle down sustainably deep within. Singularly, it took a lot of control to maintain his reiryoku. Also, all of his attempts were met with failure. Yamamoto stared him down severely in reprimand. The other captains present all turned toward him.

Tōshirō made so many mistakes during the battle that it was impossible for him to progress from that point. How to admit aloud that he had not been able to sleep for a fortnight because the faces of Hinamori and Rangiku haunted him continually? It seemed to him that he was the one who had lost the most in the battle. Yes, it was selfish and immature to think so. They had all lost a lot. But his childhood friend and his lieutenant, two people he had sworn to protect, were confined to a hospital bed. Nothing he did have prevented that. He failed them. There were days when he no longer thought he was worthy of wearing that haori. Days like today... After a short break, Yamamoto continued.

" It is noted in the report of the Second Division, co-signed by you, Captain Unohana, that Lieutenant Matsumoto suffers from a critical decrease in her reiatsu resulting from the imprudent use of an immature bankai and the consequences of her fight against the fraccions of Aizen. As we originally assumed, Matsumoto does have a bankai."

"The potential of her Zanpakutō "Haineko" tripled in the space of a few hours. " Indicated Soifon.

Hitsugaya squeezed his jaw tight. He knew the questions were about to come his way.

"Hitsugaya-taicho, did you know that Lieutenant Matsumoto had a bankai? If the case, why not report it ?" Yamamoto asked.

Hitsugaya considered the old man and then the whole assembly.

" I did not know, Yamamoto-Sotaicho. Since the covert operation in Karakura, Lieutenant Rangiku had expressed the desire to develop Haineko's potential. But until the battle, her efforts amounted to nothing; her zanpakutō is known to be one of the most difficult to wield and one of the most uncooperative in the Gotei 13. Moreover, if I remember correctly, all bankai wielders have not been subject to reports.

Getting another general view of the assembly, Toshiro stopped resentfully on Byakuya and Kenpachi. It was not in his habit of pointing the fingers at others. The fact Kuchiki and Zaraki were never asked for a full evaluation of their subordinates, despite the assembly knowing full well that the latter did possess a bankai, did not concern him that much. But he had trouble understanding how Rangiku's bankai was so different than Abarai or Madarame's that it had to be discussed.

Byakuya remained apathetic and detached. Kenpachi growled impatiently.

"Again, slow news! Matsumoto has a Bankai? I'm here for it! She can drink me under the table. I admit she is certified fresh with a hell of a pair of hooters... But unless you ask her to come meet me in my division for a good rumble! We can move on to other things like the list of candidates for the captain exam!"

A gust of icy air engulfed the room as Tōshirō considered Kenpachi's remark. Yamamoto quickly restored order by releasing a spark of reiatsu in turn. It made Jūshirō Ukitake sweat, wiping his forehead with a sigh and a grimace of embarrassment.

"Captain Zaraki! Captain Hitsugaya! The case is not to be taken lightly! We must learn from past events. We must be prepared for any eventuality. Knowing our assets is essential for that!"

Tōshirō lowered his head, regretting having lost his temper. Kenpachi tilted his head to the side guiltless but did not answer.

"Was it possible to reconstitute her Bankai? Do we have an idea of its power?"

Kurotsuchi looked sheepish and whiny.

"So-Taicho, I could not do all the necessary tests ... due to certain sensitivities. "

The man with the blue and gold mask glanced diagonally at the young prodigy. Toshiro had refused that Kurotsuchi touch a single hair on Rangiku's head, and he would continue to decline with or without the support of Yamamoto.

" Sotaicho, with all due respect to you and this assembly, Matsumoto-Fukutaicho is still my responsibility, and I believe ... "

" I understand. " Yamamoto interjected, casting a surprisingly benevolent look on him. "With the elements in your possession, Captain Kurotsuchi? Your conclusions?"

"All right, it would seem that Matsumoto's Bankai is able to release her reiatsu and suck up large amounts of spiritual pressure from its immediate environment resulting in an explosive reaction, a combustion effect, energy which can be redirected to an opponent with amazing results, to say the least. It seems to be able to mold spirit-matter. Such skills have never been recorded in the history of the Gotei 13. I should have the opportunity to study it more closely. From all the data gathered, everything suggests that Matsumoto-Fukutaicho managed to bring the hostile 18 back to life."

"Such a thing is simply impossible." Retorted Soifon. "My data contradicts this assumption."

" Hostile 18 was already dead."

" He was still alive. You cannot bring a spirit back to life."

"Why are you speaking? You do not know anything about it. Your expertise comes down to having learned to read."

"Captain Captain Kurotsuchi, Captain Soifon..."

"All the evidence corroborates this thesis, Captain-General. Kurotsuchi moaned. "My study is the most reliable."

" The intelligence service did its own investigation, So-Taicho."

Tōshirō groaned before turning his head toward the door as if he was planning to flee. He obtained unexpected help from the most unexpected source.

"If Lieutenant Matsumoto can do this kind of miracle, she is the most serious candidate for the rank of captain. I am prepared to approve that. " Intervened Shunsui Kyouraku. But the respite was short.

"Yet, it would be nice to see how she's doing on the field when she's not busy saving her lover's life! Maybe it's just a fluke!"

" Zaraki!" Hitsugaya roared.

Captain Unohana put a soothing hand on the boy's shoulder to stop him. Yamamoto continued.

" Captain Kenpachi spoke rather bluntly, and I am sure he regrets his words."

Zaraki did not seem overwhelmed by feelings of guilt. On the contrary, he only smirked. The scars on his face taunted Tōshirō to add to their numbers. Finally, the captain of the tenth division decided to remain calm because there was "nothing new under the sun." Zaraki had always been a boor, a savage, and a brutal.

"It's still a pertinent question, Hitsugaya-Taicho. I would like to ask you once again to explain to the gathering the relationship that Lieutenant Matsumoto had with the prisoner. " Hitsugaya sighed.

He did not know anything about it. He had not seen anything. No, it would be a lie. But how could he talk about that without betraying his friendship with Rangiku? That Rangiku could feel any attraction for a monstrous character devoid of ethics or morality like Gin Ichimaru was daunting. He had not just seen anything. He had refused to understand or even conceive it. She could have spent all her nights in the arms of the captain of the Third Division for the last twenty years that Tōshirō had promised himself to see nothing and not to interfere. Things were already quite complicated with Hinamori, and Hinamori was a simple girl in comparison. Matsumoto was someone more complex. She wore masks. There was one with whom she strutted during the day, that of the seductress. All the men in Sereitei swooned with love for her. None resisted her. There was also the lazy young beauty who thought only of having fun. She was constantly piling up files on his desk. He often found her recovering from a hangover lying on the couch. There was a nurturing mother in her. The one who hugged her friends with force, and always wanted to remind them how much they counted for her.

Finally, there was the Matsumoto, mysterious, nostalgic, introverted. From time to time, he had seen this mask. For example, when they used to cross Ichimaru and Kira in the hallways of the First Division, and Tōshirō would catch his subordinate blushing genuinely, captivated by the fleeing silhouette of the former captain of the Third Division. When a week after Aizen's betrayal, he found Rangiku standing at the Sogyouku Hill at the exact spot where Ichimaru, Aizen, and Tousen had disappeared from the Garganta, he had not said anything. How to summarize their relationship when he could barely sum up Rangiku? He was not naive to the point of not knowing what may happen between a man and a woman, but he had never experienced it, and it remained for him, a vague, distant notion. Maybe they were friends. Maybe they were lovers. He did not know. He didn't want to know.

He tried to remember if, in Ichimaru's behavior, there had been signs of the feelings that bound him to Matsumoto. He never believed Gin reciprocated those feelings. He never saw any hints to the contrary. No, all he could remember was his cynical remarks, his dubious jokes, and the discomfort in which he put everyone he met. That snake!

Tōshirō scratched his neck nervously, lost in thought. Yamamoto cleared his throat, reminding him that he was still waiting for his answer. He decided to go with a simple truth.

"They had been friends since childhood. Matsumoto told me that they lived together in the Rukongai and entered the academy around the same time. "

"Ran-chan had never mentioned it! Ichimaru, either! How mysterious!" Shunsui commented as if he had just woken up from a long erotic dream. Everyone knew that Shunsui Kyouraku was the worst gossip of Gotei 13. He was the last person to whom Tōshirō would confide a secret. Ukitake pushed his friend's elbow. Shunsui has a way to always put his foot in it. Poor Shiro-chan!

Tōshirō kept his head down.

" They were still children when they joined the academy. All this happened well before my arrival, so I do not see why I would be the only one to answer."

General Yamamoto lifted his cane as a sign of peace.

"It is a simple question supposed to enlighten us on the possible motivations of the Prisoner 18. Hitsugaya-Taicho, you will accompany Soifon-Taicho, Kuchiki-Taicho, and Ukitake-Taicho to interrogate Prisoner 18 early in the afternoon. That you form an opinion on this case will be of paramount importance to evaluate his involvement in Aizen Sousuke's plot. Although convicted on the same charges before the battle, the newly updated events, such as his attempt to stop Aizen, forces us to revisit the case of the former captain of the Third Division."

Hitsugaya crossed his arms stubbornly.

" My opinion is ready. This monster deserves to go to the scaffold. He deserves only death."

Yamamoto said nothing and continued.

"To conclude this meeting on a lighter note, but a no less important topic, I will announce the names of the potential nominees for the rank of captain. As you know few are qualified to occupy these functions hence the importance of carefully choosing the best, I want to ensure your complete cooperation on this matter. "

Zaraki grinned in anticipation of a good fight. Kuchiki looked blasé. Shunsui and Jushiro exchanged knowing glances. Retsu smiled. Soifon looked at the door, bored. Mayuri was inspecting his colorful nails. Komamura was ever the obedient soldier and listening intently.

"First we have Lieutenant Abarai Renji on the recommendation of Captain Ukitake Jūshirō, approved by Captains Unohana Retsu, Shunsui Kyouraku, Komamura Sajin, Hitsugaya Tōshirō and myself Genryūsai Yamamoto. He completed Bankaï a little less than a year ago but has demonstrated great combat skills and high ethical standards. He is awaiting the final vote of the captains. Kuchiki-Taicho, it should be noted that you have not yet returned your vote. As the superior of said person, do you have any particular reservations? "

Byakuya turned his head passively.

"Besides the significant gap in power between the rest of this assembly and the applicant, the occasional acts of insubordination which he has been guilty of in the past in times of crisis, and of course his chronic incapacity to fulfill the most basic tasks, I have no hesitation about the election of Renji Abarai as a captain."

What would he say if he really had some? Tōshirō thought. Jūshirō and Shunsui were comically grinning in front of this wave of caustic praise. It could not be said that what Byakuya said about Renji shed the most favorable light on the lieutenant, but captain Kuchiki seemed to think he was doing him the best favor.

" He is mediocre most of the time. But indeed he can display a few great human virtues, which makes him loyal and courageous in adversity, and simple-minded, the rest of the time. We could find worse. So, please also note, So-Taicho, that eventually he will get my final vote."

Genryusai remained imperturbable.

" I too have my reservations about the abilities of this young man. I should be allowed to study his bankai properly." Mayuri mumbled.

"Hum, I will not vote until I've had a one-on-one with that snotty son of a bitch!"

Kenpachi added with a sneer.

"He's a veteran of your division," Jūshirō remarked.

"So, what do you have against a reunion?" Kenpachi grunted.

" Good. The second applicant is the third seat of the second division, Koshinko Geren, currently director of the detention center, recommended by Soifon-Taicho. He has had a bankai for fourteen years. This is his second try. "

" I volunteer to be an executioner. If I beat him in a pulp again, I wonder if he will start to cry like last time, Soifon?"

Kenpachi commented. He was enthusiastic like a giddy fangirl at the premiere of a movie. Scary. As far as Toshiro could recall, Zaraki had always fancied the captain exam because it was the only time he would get a free pass at fighting against bankai users. Soifon sent a glare his way. Last time, she had to intervene to stop Kenpachi from killing Geren. He almost killed her as well. It had been humiliating, to say the least.

Yamamoto went on.

"The third nominee is Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi on the recommendation of Captain Zaraki Kenpachi, approved by Captains Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Unohana Retsu, Jushiro Ukitake and myself, Genryusai Yamamoto. This is her fourth nomination. She is our most persevering candidate, and it is to be saluted."

" The girl wants a haori! " Kenpachi explained. Retsu stifled a giggle. An imperturbable Yamamoto continued even though a mischievous gleam shone in his eyes as well.

"The fourth contender is Suki Ichinose. Ichinose is the pastry chef of BentoBu, the most famous restaurant in the prominent Hokutan province, also known as the shopping district.

" Excuse me?" Soifon cut in.

"Right, Bentobu is the official caterer of the royal family. This fact may not be known by many." Lieutenant Sasakibe enthusiastically explained.

"They make the best Sereitei scones! "

"That's not what..."

" Suki has been their star cook for 25 years now. " Sajin ventured.

" I was not questioning the culinary skills of this Ichinose? I do not care if he can cook honestly."

" Suki Ichinose is a woman!"Jushiro corrected." But I can see your point."

" All Suki Ichinose are female anyway! Gorgeous girls really with such an appetite for life? I've dated a few of them." Shunsui mused, stroking his chin.

"Again, not my point, "Soifon grunted.

" This one is probably the most skilled of the bunch! Have you already tasted her surprise donuts?" Ukitake added.

" A wonder !"

For a man of few words, Sasakibe was strangely energetic and long-winded on the subject. Soifon winced with embarrassment. But the coup de grace came from General Yamamoto.

" Her father, Tadashi Ichinose, is the best culinary artist of all Sereitei, but he was never just a cook to me. He served 218 years in the first division under my command before becoming captain of the fifth division. At last, he was promoted to the Zero division until his early retirement. He is one of my dearest friends. " Yamamoto added.

Retsu Unohana having been there since the first generation confirmed with a nod.

"The Suki-chan were always such darlings!" She added gently. "A few of them I trained personally at the Academy. They are resourceful I can assure you, Soifon."

Soifon shook her head, her cheeks red. Nevermind.

" The last postulant is the Kido corps lieutenant, Manatsu Dengeki. Her skills were instrumental in helping us open a portal to the Hueco Mundo."

No one said anything.

"A few applications deemed too average and lacking, have been purely and simply rejected by Sasakibe and myself. Despite one nomination being on the verge of approval, they will all be taking the Proficiency Exam on the same day. More details will be disclosed later. I think we have exhausted the subject. This meeting is adjourned. "

He had barely finished his words that Tōshirō hurried to the exit and headed for the infirmary.

"Oh, no!" Captain Unohana's sudden outburst alerted him that something was wrong. The captain of the fourth division took out her zanpakutō immediately. Without calling its name, the giant manta landed in the courtyard of the first division.

" Captains Soifon, Ukitake, Kuchiki, and Hitsugaya, we must go immediately to my headquarters."

Kuchiki and Soifon disappeared immediately using shunpo. Ukitake went up with Unohana on the beast. Hitsugaya vanished and jumped from roof to roof to go faster.

* * *

**Ichimaru Gin**

Ex-Commander of the army of Arrancar of Aizen Sousuke

Ex-Captain of the 3rd Division

Childhood Friend of Matsumoto Rangiku

He avoided dying a martyr in extremis and had to thank Rangiku Matsumoto personally for her efforts.

* * *

Silly girl!

Gin had spent the last ten minutes observing Matsumoto Rangiku's lazy ways. She did not open her eyes. Sleeping Beauty had given no sign of wanting to get out of her deep slumber she had fallen into. He settled on the edge of Rangiku's bed with a sigh. What to do with her?

He remembered a time when it was easier to deal with her. He disappeared somewhere, expecting it would take her a while to catch up. He'd avoided then the questions and the possible tears. Because to be truthful, Gin never wanted to admit he could have been the cause of her tears. She looked so peaceful. Bankai. Whoever thought Rangiku Matsumoto had that in her? Scary.

When Gin awoke earlier, after seeing the white light at the end of the tunnel, without having any idea how his resurrection could have been possible, his first thought was he had underestimated her. Thinking Aizen was the one he should fear when this woman had devoted a lifetime to tying him down to her as if to prevent him from moving on. Her determination ran so deep that she sacrificed herself for this purpose. She had spent her life restraining him, to the point of even managing to ruin his death. Who would go so far to keep him prisoner?

He observed the bracelets that were suppressing his reiatsu. True, they tried it with these toys. But the morbid silence that reign around them was the chill testament of his own determination to remain free. A fly could be heard buzzing on the windowsill.

Gin laid down next to her, his face a few inches from hers.

"Hey! Ran-chan? Do you remember the orchard with the persimmons? It seems that I have no choice but to take you there in the summer."

Gin brushed her cheek with his fingertips. Then when she still had no reaction, he played with her blond hair. Haineko rested in its sheath on the dresser. The zanpakutō vibrated with an almost imperceptible metallic clatter. Gin smiled.

"Haineko still does not like me, huh?"

A light breeze pulled the curtains up in the room. Gin felt the storm coming. He brushed her lips with his thumb, trying to convey a bit of warmth with spiritual pressure. He groaned in annoyance when the cuffs leaked it all. He never quite like feeling powerless, not that he would admit this much.

"You should have let me die, Ran-chan." He said seriously.

He opened his eyes to show her how serious he was. Rangiku's hand was small, soft, and frail in contact with his rough palm.

"Now I'm going to get you to pick some persimmons when I know you do not like it!

He gave a slight sneer, picturing her face under these circumstances. He leaned closer.

"I've done terrible things; you have no idea, Ran-chan. Things I have no justification for. Still, I am glad I said I was sorry that time." He murmured to her ear any traces of fun gone.

The air crystallized in the room. A small cloud of steam formed around his mouth. Gin closed his eyes with a grimace.

He played Rangiku's curls. "This was really stupid!"

Before he could finish his sentence, the cold blade of a zanpakutō grazed his neck.

"Do not touch her! Get away from her, Ichimaru!" Tōshirō Hitsugaya ordered.

"Captain Hitsugaya." He greeted, pushing Hyourinmaru's blade away from his chin with his index finger. " Children are not allowed to play and make noise! We are in a hospital!"

Hitsugaya resumed his momentum, and Hyourinmaru blew a new draft a few inches from his head. With one firm hand, Jūshirō Ukitake had deviated the trajectory of the Zanpakutō by a few millimeters. He also forced Tōshirō to lower his weapon. Byakuya Kuchiki calmly stood in front of the bedroom door. Unohana entered the room quickly, her face closed.

" They are all alive. Unconscious but alive. You used Hakuda, didn't you?"

Gin shrugged. He jumped out of bed with a grin. Unohana did not seem to share his humor. She folded her arms in front of her.

"I'm sure this is the moment I shout, "Surprise, I got you! "? Let's all have tea together! "

Retsu glared at him.

" I had to transfer Kochinko Geren and several of his men to the intensive care unit. He is the one who has suffered the most, but he should get by after a little rest. Soifon-Taicho is with him."

Gin leaned forward.

"Did you know that he wanted to take out his bankai? Who does this in a hospital? There are patients here! People who need resting! How there no people with manners left?!" exclaimed Gin, feigning indignation.

"Is he all right?" Jūshirō asked. "Will he be able to take the exam?"

" I'm afraid not. He's very weak. " Retsu said apologetically.

Gin chuckled.

"Are you kidding? I neutralized the "new me"! Oh, I'm so sorry! My apologies!"

"Let me just do it!" Tōshirō shouted with venom.

"Look at you all grown up, Hitsugaya!" Gin pointed out with a wicked wink. "I'm happy! "

Hitsugaya took another step forward, and instinctively Gin stood in front of the bed, his back to Rangiku. The little captain had a volatile temperament; it would be enough for him to do something stupid, some kind of idiotic mistake like the one that had practically cost Hinamori's life. He turned his head briefly to see if she was still sleeping tightly. Rangiku had not moved. A stream of cold air crossed the room. Jūshirō had caught Gin in the act. He was looking at him now curiously. An air of understanding passed over his face.

The captain of Division 13 bypassed Hitsugaya and stood between the two men of Rangiku Matsumoto's life.

"You should not be here, Gin." He said simply.

"I just wanted to visit an old friend. It was the kid who took out his zanpakutō. It's dangerous! It cuts! He could hurt himself ... or hurt someone. An accident can happen so quickly! Ask Koshinko."

Hyourinmaru gained a few inches and moved dangerously close to his face, almost touching the tip of his eyelashes. He opened his right eye with mockery to appreciate the distance. Ukitake gently pushed Hitsugaya back again. The wind ruffled Gin's silver hair. The man showed the handcuffs he still wore.

" I'm helpless. I do not even have enough reiatsu to fight all of you."

" You did not need any to neutralize all the members of my division."

Gin turned with a sneer.

"Oh, that, Unohana-Taicho! You're too kind like always! Pff! It was rather easy! It's not worthy of any praise! You still remember when last week, I was aiming for the apocalypse! That was a real challenge, this not so much. "

His smirk froze the blood of the captain of the fourth division, who drew back.

" Ichimaru, are you going to follow us quietly to the Senzaikyū?" Jūshirō asked his hand on his zanpakutō. He thought they could all profit from a change in the scenery. "We have a few questions for you?"

" We are wasting our time! He's a monster! Let me kill him!"

"Hitsugaya-Taicho, " Unohana said firmly. "The orders of the captain-general are quite clear."

"' It's your fault! It is because of you that she is in that state! You did this!"

" You think I do not know!" Gin retorted. Any traces of amusement had disappeared from his voice. He caught Hitsugaya's eyes, eyes wide open. He observed them all on an equal footing. He saw the young boy change his mind and drew back. Gin then turned to Byakuya Kuchiki. He had not said anything, and he had not moved a millimeter since he arrived. But he could feel the reiatsu of his old friend dangerously threatening under the surface. Byakuya was getting ready to use his bankai.

"Of course, I want to follow you. I have nothing better to do anyway."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the Kudos and reviews. Since it's my first story here, it means a lot to me.


	5. The dream life of Gin Ichimaru

* * *

**Jūshirō Ukitake**

Captain of the thirteenth division

Kyouraku Shunsui's best friend

As a successful children's book author, he knows how to recognize an excellent fiction when he sees one.

* * *

Two hours later, comfortably settled in his private penthouse in the Senzaikyū, also known as the Grand Hotel for Criminally Insane Shinigami, Hostile 18, Gin Ichimaru completed the romanticized life story from his meeting with Aizen until his defeat in Karakura at the hands of the Tenth Division Fukutaicho, Matsumoto Rangiku. The least you could say was that his audience had yet to be won over.

Byakuya Kuchiki's left eyebrow tremored impatiently. His nervous tic went all the way to his wrist. Gin's story had made him twenty years younger. That is to say; he was struggling to contain his most primitive instincts like when he was a teenager; at the time when the mere presence of Gin Ichimaru at the academy, since they were in the same advanced class, would give him hives and stomachaches.

Thank Heaven! Soifon did not share any creepy childhood memories with Gin Ichimaru and, overall could not care less about his motivations for betraying the Gotei 13. She was ready to put away her notes. She wanted to go to earth officially to have some details on the "Seal" but, more importantly, to visit Yoruichi-Sama. They had a lot of catching up to do.

Tōshirō kept his arms crossed in front of his chest and his jaw tight. Mostly, he made sure the temperature in the Senzaikyū's cell remained below ten degrees Fahrenheit for the greatest despair of Soifon, who never liked the cold.

In fact, Gin's story had found only one faithful listener in Jūshirō. It had been a long time since the Jusanbantai Taicho had heard such an entertaining tale of betrayal and epic battles.

"She said that?"

"Yes, that Rangiku, full of spirit, with a devil may care attitude! She was determined to avenge Kira Izuru! I did not see it coming honestly! Haineko engulfed me in a black cloud. Pff! I was finished! The luck of the beginner! I got my ass handed to me not by Ichigo Kurosaki or any Kurosaki for that matter but by Matsumoto Rangiku. It should be known. She should be the "new me"! Give her a good raise! I know the girl likes her pair of shoes! Not that spineless bastard! What's his name? Geren! Such a pretty little girl, imagine that Jūshirō! It would cheer up your meetings. So, that's it, I guess. Kurosaki beat Aizen, I heard. That kid was also on fire! The end."

"Your injuries were inflicted by Matsumoto Rangiku?" Soifon asked.

Soifon was not fooled. There was no chance that a simple lieutenant could inflict such severe wounds on such a seasoned warrior as Gin Ichimaru. He was a captain. She saw him fight. He was outstanding, and she was not in the habit of offering gratuitous compliments. He was exceptionally gifted. More importantly, she always suspected him of being the kind of opponent never to put his full strength into a fight. He stood next to a fully powered Aizen and did not even flinch or blink. The way Kurosaki talked about his battle against Gin, he was the one that got his ass handed to him, with a slap on the ass cheeks and an incentive to go back home as a bonus. But she could ignore all reason and logic if it means Gin's treacherous ass would be executed faster.

"Yes, in the line of duty. It's a hell of a good shinigami like I said."

" Gin Ichimaru, you plead guilty on all charges without extenuating circumstances?"

Gin nodded quickly.

" Oh, yes! It was the best week of my life!"

"When did she use her bankai? The story is not over, right?" Jūshirō inquired.

Gin smirked and nodded enthusiastically.

" Her Bankai! That was something, I'm telling you! I'm coming to this part... The best part, honestly! It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it."

He demonstrated by rolling up his sleeves high, showing his bony white hands and arms, his deathly pale skin. An angry red scar traveled his left shoulder horizontally and diagonally as if his left arm had been forcefully glued back.

Soifon rose from a chair first.

"We've had enough, Captain Ukitake. I am going to type in my report and return it to Captain-General Yamamoto immediately."

"You have not asked any questions yet?" Gin wondered.

" I have enough substance to recommend your immediate execution."

The goofy smile never left Gin's lips.

"You do that. You're too kind."

Seemingly satisfied too, Byakuya Kuchiki and Hitsugaya Tōshirō stood up in their turn.

" Hey, are you all leaving already?" Jūshirō asked. His disappointment was showing.

Byakuya glanced briefly at his colleagues and spoke for the first time. He sighed.

"Gin, I hope you can savor your last days in Soul Society. We can only hope that you will be wise enough to use this time to repent for your actions."

"Coming from you, it's touching. I'm pretty sure if you can sleep like a baby, well, I can too."

Byakuya opened his mouth in surprise. Gin stared at him, his eyes boring into the soul of the noble.

" But, we come to the best part!" Jūshirō threw one finger in the air. "This is the moment when the story ends, and the author explains his intentions behind the words."

"Ukitake?"Soifon admonished.

The other two captains were unanimously shocked and stopped on the threshold of the door. Jūshirō quit his candid expression and stared at the prisoner very seriously.

"So, Gin? What happened out there? What has driven you and is still pushing you to give up your honor? Is that your version of self-sacrifice?"

Gin's half-closed eyelids twitched slightly.

" Ukitake! "Soifon grunted impatiently.

"I just want the truth. I know you were not born a murderer. I've known for a while now. I don't think I discussed this with anyone, though... But I knew Ran-chan when she was just a bright little girl chasing after you."

Gin opened his eyes in surprise. Jūshirō relaxed on his chair, knowing he had made his point. Icy blue eyes met frankly with stormy grey and narrowed slightly in distrust. Yet, Gin did not abandon his enigmatic smile.

"My story was dope though, and in it, Rangiku-chan was a badass death goddess with classy curves. The Good guys kicked the bad guys into a corner. The story was tainted with honor, tenacity, courage, sacrifice, and duty... All the things you shinigami get horny for. Why do you want to look further?"

"Because I do not want what happened back then to happen again."

Ukitake's expression regained its natural gravity. The jusanbantai taicho did not take his eyes off the prisoner.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I am a monster who feeds on the misfortune of his victims! I like this! What can I say for my defense? I just like fucking with you guys!"

"Why did you let Rangiku sacrifice herself then?"

Gin shook his head. Like he had a choice, really?! He knew a trap when he saw one. He hesitated before licking his lips. Jushiro's question also had the merit of attracting the attention of Tōshirō, who returned to his seat. Jūshirō clasped his hands in front of him patiently. He had just discovered that if the right button was pressed, Gin, like a magnificent puppet could show different faces and emotions. But his shell was only fragile for a short time. The ex-commander of the Arrancar of Aizen suddenly burst into cynical laughter.

"What do you expect from me? It's harassment!" He moaned, looking falsely dramatic.

Jūshirō kept pushing the "half-open door" just as dramatically.

"Gin, whatever you want to tell us is fine!"

"You want me to apologize for not telling you that I was a traitor? Do you want me to apologize for all the nasty things I did on behalf of Aizen? Tell Rukia-chan, I'm sorry! "

Gin turned to Byakuya mischievously. He was always so easy to tease.

"...She is a good girl. She didn't deserve to spend an extended holiday here! Not my idea! If I had my way, she'd still be shacking up with Kurosaki in the land of the living. Aizen could have killed her there! Much easier if you want my opinion! Much easier!"

Gin unveiled his sharp teeth. Byakuya turned back and tilted his head at the simple mention of his sister. His right hand dropped to Senbonzakura instinctively.

Gin looked in amusement as Byakuya's right hand brushed the guard of his zanpakuto again.

"But I guess you probably don't...want my opinion. Guys, Sorry. Are we cool now? "

Gin put his hands flat on the interrogation table, showing goodwill.

"As for Matsumoto, I really do not know what went through her head. Girls! What do you know about them? One thing is for certain; I did not ask her to do this."

Tōshirō hit the table with his fist.

" She did it anyway! She sacrificed herself! For you! What should I tell her when she wakes up? How can I tell her that she sacrificed herself for nothing? That you were simply put to death at the end of all this ?"

Gin opened his mouth to answer before finally closing it. Well, he had not thought about that. A white glow animated his blue eyes. He shrugged.

"Don't know. Didn't plan for this."

He lowered his head to his hands but straightened almost immediately with a frustrated grunt.

"Make something up, little genius! Tell her it did not work out! That's all! She doesn't need to know."

Byakuya dropped the defensive stance. He looked at Gin for the first time. He was suddenly unsure of what he saw there. Love? Gin Ichimaru was in love with Matsumoto Rangiku? He settled down ungracefully next to Tōshirō, heaving an impatient sigh. Ukitake was right. There was more to the story.

" When did you decide to betray Aizen? " Jūshirō asked.

Gin looked up at the ceiling and sighed loudly.

" Since the moment I saw him, he could deceive no one ... Well, obviously, he deceived all of you, but I mean... He was so blatantly corrupt."

The prisoner seemed nostalgic for a moment. All the captains seemed intrigued by his answer. They wanted to know where they had been wrong. They did not understand. Yet it was simple.

" He's trash. He's always been a joke behind his glasses! Y' all like to wears masks, and I think maybe that's the reason you all liked his ass so much. Y'all like to pretend. Isn't there a saying that says fake it till you make it! If there's not, there should be one because that's all of you. Trying so hard. Aizen. Him. He was a master of Deception."

Jūshirō lowered his head in turn, frowning. Gin had said that with an ounce of admiration in his voice.

"Nothing could stop him. Nothing could hinder his progress. Nothing could challenge him in the pursuit of his designs. There was not even enough hatred in his dead empty heart for Soul Society. He just had a little for himself, I think. For his physical limitations... Isn't that super cute and a tad creepy? He wanted to be a God. Just like the Cursed Motherfucker above!"

"What do you know about the Spirit King?"

"Aizen hated his guts. Wanted to be him."

"You..."

"Don't give a fuck about celebrity." He said coolly.

Byakuya could not keep his eyes off Gin. Jūshirō scratched his head, surprised again by Gin's frankness.

"You seem to think it's someone while Aizen thought it was something."

"What if it was both? It doesn't matter who is right! We'd both get fucked over in the end, isn't that true?"

Ukitake nodded in amusement. That was probably a reasonable assumption on his part.

"You said since your first meeting ... But if I understand correctly ..."

"Yes, it goes way back... Even before I entered the academy... "

"Why?"

"I will not answer that."

" But ... Gin, if you want us to understand... "

Gin snorted.

"Who said I want you to understand? I will not answer that. Ask me something else. Ask anything you want."

There were painful truths in his past; Gin was resolved never to share with strangers. Whatever the reason, it was his reason. Hers. His decision.

" So, you did all this for revenge," Soifon concluded.

" Yes. We could say that." Gin said.

He could stop at that. That was enough for him.

"Revenge against Aizen," Byakuya added.

"...And also because I was bored as fuck. Boredom was one of my main motives when you think about it. Please, Soifon, write that down in your report."

Soifon groaned in annoyance. Jūshirō tried to put the puzzle pieces back in place. Of course, Gin always had an inclination toward malevolence, just like Mayuri Kurotsuchi, showed one for cruelty. But he could not help but see more in this picture, to see a figure in the shadows that everyone seemed to want to push aside: Matsumoto. He had complete confidence in the lieutenant. But she was the key to the puzzle, the central piece that made it possible to find all the others.

" Why wait so long?"

"Aizen was stronger. He was smarter. I was just a weird kid with a huge reiatsu. I did not stand a chance." He said, putting an emphasis on the word 'huge.'

"Why rally his cause then? Could you have waited for the right opportunity? You could have brought this to the other captains." Byakuya queried, unable to blindly give Gin Ichimaru the benefit of the doubt.

" You would have listened to me surely. We are so close, Byakuya-sama, are we not? Do you not remember saying things like" I do not discuss the weather with low-class rukon-district criminals."

Byakuya did not flinch even though deep down, he felt nauseous. That was certainly not his most clairvoyant moment. His first day at the academy.

"Who would have thought you'd marry a low-class rukon-girl? The girl at the market with the pretty flowers! Like I said, we were so close."

Gin smirked and went on after a pause.

" You do not talk to each other. You do not work with each other. Thirteen separate entities ... irreconcilable personalities. As long as it remains so, I am confident that there will be another battle of Karakura."

Jūshirō turned his head towards Byakuya. Was he the only one to think that what Gin had just said made sense? The expression of the young nobleman told him he was not alone.

"Moreover, Aizen had already used Kyouka Suigetsu on the whole Sereitei. I know because he told me. When I arrived in the fifth division."

" When you killed the third seat, you mean ... " Toshiro added.

"Precisely, Kid... You read that in a book, didn't you?"

Soifon nodded.

" That's right, Ichimaru. You killed the third seat... Ringu Kojigotama... Was it to access his position? "

Gin shrugged.

" You did not have to do it. You could have worked yourself up to the ladder. "Soifon pointed out in a bitter tone.

"Like you work for your captain seat hunting down your friends... And here I thought you had learned it all from Yoruichi Shihōuin or Onmitsukidō."

Soifon's cheeks ignited like a paper lantern.

"I took his seat because I needed Aizen to notice me. I had to get to know him. Discover his weaknesses... I also had a score to settle with that idiot. Ringu? What a stupid name? But Aizen was the Goal... Until Karakura ... He did not trust me. Who could blame him? Kaname was utterly devoted to him, considering him a prophet. I always had my own pet projects on the side if we could say so."

"Which included the end of the world? "

"Not really. That's what I tell friends to show off a little!" he taunted.

"Gin."

" I wanted him to die. I just wanted to take everything from him, and I almost did... but I was too weak. I failed miserably."

"And all these innocent souls ..."

" What innocent souls? They were in my way."

He let out coldly.

Jūshirō turned to Byakuya. Gin stared at the leader of the Kuchiki clan.

" I tried to wake up your conscience, didn't I? "

Byakuya's eyes widened as he remembered his altercation with Gin and Kenpachi in the first division courtyard a few minutes after Rukia Sentencing.

"You could have reacted sooner. But no, it took Ichigo Kurosaki, a ryōka kicking your ass ..."

Gin colored each of his words with cynicism while Byakuya closed his fists anxiously. The third division captain put his hands behind his neck, leisurely.

" I thought her brother might help, the one who had sworn to love her sister till death did them apart ... Or maybe that's why? Death did do you apart! Maybe love has an expiration date for you, Nobles!"

Byakuya glared at him.

"Oh, you thought we didn't know? How cute! Anyway, I thought that if I suggested to you the death of the woman who looked every inch like your dead wife... So it could really sink in... I could not be more literal than that, could I? If I did that, that would be enough to make you react.. enough to make anyone react. But I guess I underestimated the virtue of the Elite of Goteijusanbantai."

Byakuya flinched openly. Gin turned his ire towards Hitsugaya.

" You, little guy, you were looking for a scapegoat. But Hinamori was not my lieutenant. Not my charge! Poor Hinamori! Waiting to be rescued!"

"Do not talk about Hinamori !"

"I was really sorry for her. But then she was always crying, Aizen-taicho this and that...She made a noise like a tiny cricket... Aizen-sama... please Aizen-sama... By that time, I agree I didn't give much of a fuck if she lived... But I left you alive, didn't I? When I was ordered to show some skills in that fight. But I guess it's also thanks to Ran-chan. I told you she's the heroine in this story."

It was Tōshirō's turn to contort in his chair uneasily.

"You could not have defeated me ..."

" You have not seen my bankai little genius."

A flash of their last fight went through Tōshirō's eyes. He had finally understood. Gin had let him win on purpose.

"I hardly used the full potential of my Shikai with the likes of you." Gin said haughtily, giving each of them a pointed look. There was mirth in his half-closed eyelids.

"Guys, I am a good guy, can't you see? Let's all be friends."

Confusion marred Hitsugaya's face.

"That's impossible... I had you..."

"You came to the world so late, a thousand years too late, little genius. But it doesn't matter; you have time to catch up."

" And Kira?!" Tōshirō launched in retaliation.

" Kira is doing very well. I cured him of his naivety. He knows he has to rely upon himself. He doesn't have to pretend. He doesn't wear a mask. I'm pretty proud of him, actually. "

" Oh, that's it! You cured him?! You were healing Matsumoto too?! " Toshiro taunted back angrily. He could no longer contain his resentment.

Gin slapped the table in front of him, cracking it in thousands of pieces, showing Toshiro at once how it's done.

" Do not talk, little genius, about what you cannot understand! That's grown-up territory, kiddo! You stay in your place! "

Tōshirō rose at once, unsheathing his nodashi at once, ready to respond to the provocation. Jūshirō raised his hands in a gesture of peace.

" Yare, Yare, I think you gave us much to think about. Thank you for your time, Gin."

He got up and invited Byakuya and Soifon to do the same.

" We'll be back soon to give you our conclusions."

Byakuya followed them outside, not without casting a last puzzled look at Gin. Jūshirō gave him a friendly smile before going out. His cell closed with a frightful squeak, leaving him alone in the cold room, leaving him alone with a breathtaking view of the Sōkyoku Hill's building site. It was here that Rukia Kuchiki had to spend 30 days before the execution of her sentence. Realizing the irony of the situation, Gin's lips splintered into a broad smile. You have to hand it to the boring old man above; life was ridiculously funny.

* * *

**Kuchiki Byakuya**

Captain of the Sixth Division of Gotei 13

Head of the Kuchiki clan

Adoptive brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Understanding where Gin Ichimaru was coming from was enough to make him want to throw up his dinner.

* * *

Byakuya returned to the mansion long after dark, when the crickets had taken over for the buzzing bees, and the stars lurked behind heavy clouds. It was shortly after Byakuya had dictated his report to the third seat of his division. It was mostly a dull account of the interview written with a monotonous scholar approach. The tone was primarily consensual, seeing as Byakuya had not come up with a final decision yet.

**Writing's on the wall - Sam Smith**

Except for Hitsugaya, who isolated himself at the end of Ichimaru's interview, they had decided to follow Ukitake in Ugendo to discuss what they learned. For one hour, they share their different viewpoints on the case. At least, it'd be a bit closer to the truth to stay that Ukitake and Soifon had been debating over the subject, and Byakuya had just watched. It was clear to Ukitake that there was more to Gin Ichimaru than a traitor and a mercenary, the right-hand man of the enemy of the state. It was also clear to him that it would be a strategic mistake as well as an injustice not to consider the possibility of keeping Ichimaru in detention. Soifon did not see things this way. Either Gin Ichimaru was guilty, or he was innocent, there was no middle ground. He may have contributed to saving the world; it didn't make that much difference for her. As for Byakuya, he had said that he would be satisfied with whatever decision was taken regarding Ichimaru. Of course, it was cheating, a way of not getting involved, a way of not diving too openly in his feelings. In fact, he remembered having said that he did not care for the fate of Ichimaru when he was incredibly unsettled by the recent events.

It's not like he had any doubt Gin was guilty of all the charges against him. He had no doubts about that. It's not even that he was taking into account extenuating circumstances as if he believed that the fact Gin had a final change of heart and tried to kill Aizen, absolved him of his previous crimes.

No, it was more all the bubbly feelings surging in his throat, as he thought of his own contribution to Aizen's plot, and how much he was also at fault. Had he always been so prejudiced that Aizen may have anticipated his flaws and played into his insecurities? It was more the way Ichimaru said it. Was it so easy for him to ignore the fact Rukia was his sister, the perfect reflection of Hisana? How he could put aside his heart, his pride, his instinct was somehow scary! He had to wonder if he and Gin were much more similar than he wanted to admit. They were both ready to do the unthinkable in the name of their so-called pride.

Byakuya had taken earlier a light collation in his office in the sixth division. So when he arrived home, he merely handed his Haori and his scarf to the housekeeper, Kumiko, informing her he will retire for the night. Kumiko-san was an old lady who had seen too many seasons and nurse the wounds of too many clan leaders. She was seldom impressed by anything anymore, and she anticipated with such ease the needs of her masters. He did not remember one day of his life without Kumiko bowing to him in such fashion. She moved backward, with surprising agility, gracefully counting each step until she disappears behind the shoji doors, always very anxious to respect the protocol.

Time had taught him that this was probably the warmest welcome he would ever receive at home.

Even that was not entirely true.

There was a time where Hisana would be standing on the threshold and followed him inside. But he knew she treated this more like an obligation she had to fulfill than a demonstration of love. It was all orchestrated by Kumiko here. Hisana would bow to him first, and then the other ladies of the house would follow. As exhausted as he was sometimes after a long day of work in his division, as bruised and wounded he could be after a fight, Byakuya would endure quietly. The head of the clan had to appreciate the efforts made by everyone on his behalf. Sometimes he longed for quiet and calm only an empty house would provide. He had to settle for feeling lonely in a crowded house.

As he walked through the hallways leading to his quarters, he remembered that his young wife was often clumsy to Kumiko's greatest despair. She would stutter and stumble, and once she tore up half of his haori in her fall. He remembered having broken protocol for her then, as he lifted her in his arms and carried her to their bedroom. He had been daring and fearless back then. The memory of it warmed his blood.

The mansion was more or less quiet if it was not the repetitive sound of the shishi odoshi, the bamboo fountains in the garden. Undressing quickly, discarding his clothes, the last remnants of the day, on a stand, he entered his private baths slowly. He looked up to watch the stars above his head only to discover them concealed behind a curtain of clouds.

Maybe at some point, he was deluded enough to think he was the kind of honorable man who would do anything for the woman he cares about, if that had been the case, he'd have found a way to keep his love alive. If he was made from the same clothes as the likes of Ichimaru, Rukia would probably still have a sister. All that surrounded him currently though would have crumbled to dust, no doubt, but it would have been a small price to pay. A small price to pay. Byakuya dived into the water quickly.

He wasn't the senseless sacrificing man, and his wife died in his arms. He made a promise to her he could barely keep. He made a sister out of someone he barely wanted to know and avoided for decades. He managed not to link a single tie with said person for 40 years. He almost let that sister die on his watch. Who was he to judge Ichimaru Gin, really?

_If I risk it all_

_Could you break my fall?_

_How do I live? How do I breathe?_

_When you're not here, I'm suffocating_

_I want to feel love, run through my blood_

_Tell me is this where I give it all up?_

_For you I have to risk it all_

_'Cause the writing's on the wall_

After his bath, he immediately went to bed, thinking maybe his mind would clear when he woke up. 'If you can sleep like a baby, I'm pretty sure I can do as well' had been Ichimaru's words. Well, he had a restless night if that was any indication.

Upon waking a few hours later, Byakuya really was not close to having formed some kind of resolution. The sky was still black. He had slept or tried to sleep for a total of three hours.

When he went out in the garden, he found Rukia doing her routine, zanpakutō in hand. Eyes closed, lost in her meditation; she repeated the same gestures tirelessly. Yes, that was another problem that had to be solved.

Kumiko, who knew perfectly well her master's habits, had placed on a tray a jug of water and two crystal glasses before retiring. He drank some water before joining Rukia. Without a word, he started his training session. He naturally adjusted his pace to hers. When she felt his reiatsu behind her, she just whispered his name all in deference.

"Nii-Sama."

"Stay focused, Rukia. "

A smile graced her lips as she kept her eyes closed. She looked pleased. Byakuya's face relaxed slightly, and then he corrected without a word a hand not firm enough, a foot too shaky. He wanted her to work on meditation for at least 30 minutes. Materializing one's zanpakuto spirit to attain bankai had a better chance of success on a clear mind. His mind was currently a clutter of disparaging thoughts, but it didn't matter.

Then they started to practice. It was not a real sparring session. Rukia's shunpo had significantly improved. But like the distance separating the earth and the sun, she was still far from rivaling his. Still, he allowed her to try knocking him off the ground.

Keeping Rukia away from the battle did not prevent her from ending up in the middle of a war. That did not stop her from giving her powers to a terribly arrogant human or violating the Sereitei laws. That she was without a seat, had not prevented her from rushing headfirst towards the enemy lines in the Hueco Mundo. In fact, trouble always found a way to stick to Rukia's small tabi. She was constantly in danger. Just like her sister, he believed the thread of her life was always ready to be cut by Fate. Nowadays, it was an unbearable thought.

Rukia's Zanpakutō met with his in a metallic clash. She was full of energy, with a determination he did not know. What she lacked in technique, she compensated in strategy. No wonder she managed to kill an Espada. A fleeting smile appeared on his lips when lost in his thoughts, Sode no Shirayuki grazed his Kenseikan and sent it crashing on the ground. Rukia stopped immediately, aghast.

"Sorry, Niisama."

He ignored her and went on. She hardly parried his next attack, almost losing balance, the metal screaming in the dawn. He vanished again. She spotted him behind her at the last second and crawled out of reach. He was behind her in a flash and was relentless with her, showing no mercy. Rukia mostly lacked the endurance to compete. Without much effort on his part, Sode no Shirayuki soared in the air and planted itself in a flower bed a hundred yards away.

" Why, apologize? Your enemy will not apologize. I thought it was a lesson already learned." He simply said.

While Rukia was barely standing, he didn't even break a sweat. The brunet vigorously nodded while trying to catch her breath. Instead of going to pick up her katana, Rukia rushed to pick up the ivory jewel. She returned the hairpins to her brother with reverence. Byakuya held the object briefly before placing it nonchalantly near the refreshment tray. She was hopelessly frail, he noted. That was a handicap. But her size made her genuinely mobile and able to use the environment around her to her advantage. She was also nimble, a real asset to have in a battle against an opponent of superior size. She needed to get quicker on those feet, and she really needed to improve her endurance. Next, they worked on her Shikai and kido defense. If she remains untouchable during a fight, it made it easier for her to attack from long distances. But still, she lacked conviction, a true fusion between kido skills and ki energy for her attacks to be efficient.

" Your attacks are still a little hesitant. You have to stay firm, Rukia. Your opponent must detect no opening in you. Otherwise, you'll die."

" I did not want to hurt you, Nii-Sama."

He replied, an unreadable expression shadowing his features.

" Nonsense, you could never hope to hurt me."

Confused by the meaning of his words, Rukia nonetheless tried to digest them. Byakuya straightened up slightly. He only told her the truth. She could never hurt him. She could try. She could never disappoint him. Never. He felt another reiatsu very close, his owner concealed under the shade of the veranda. He had no trouble recognizing this signature. He realized his grandfather was not missing a minute of their training session.

" Are you ready, Rukia?"

She nodded breathlessly before resuming her stance.

An hour later, a couple of robins swirled in the air while the first lights of the day warmed the lawn wet with morning dew. And Rukia ... Rukia as white and pale as Sode No Shirayuki's guard was throwing up all the contents of her stomach in an unattractive way over an azalea bush. Well, maybe he'd been a bit harsh with her for a first session. Strike that. She held her stomach and coughed and spit some more. He barely even started.

" I think that will be all for today," Byakuya said.

"I can totally go on, Nii-sama," Rukia said between coughs."I'm fine."

Byakuya's always schooled features relaxed slightly. Well, maybe she surprised him just now, a lot of his underlings in the sixth squad would have begged for him to stop by now, just ask Renji. But Rukia shook her head stubbornly, picking up her zanpakuto. Byakuya knew that heaving was the first sign one body gave before it collapses.

"Kumiko? "

The shadow of a mischievous smile touched his lips. Kumiko stepped out of the shaded terrace and ordered two of the noble guards to help the young mistress. Rukia protested but let herself be dragged away from the training ground.

" I'm fine. I just feel a little sick. Kumiko-San, I assure you that I am okay."

Calling Kumiko was almost a way for Byakuya to punish her mediocrity since he knew that his governess was going to spend the next three hours dealing with Rukia with the energy, the authority, the relentlessness and the pugnacity of a mother hen.

He could use another glass of water. Although, he hadn't put in much of an effort. He heard enthusiastic claps behind him.

" Rukia-san's progress is impressive. She is lucky to have found such a talented sensei willing to lend her his knowledge."

Byakuya put the glass down, bowing respectfully in front of his grandfather. Ginrei invited him to get up at once.

"Come on, come on, it's rather me who should kneel in front of the head of the family."

Ginrei did not do it anyway. Byakuya took a few steps on the porch, barefoot.

"Jii-Sama, why didn't you tell me you were coming home? Had I known, I would have come home sooner last night. I would have made arrangements for dinner. Kumiko-san or Jinpei-san did not tell me anything..."

"I asked them to let you have your rest. I know you've been busy as the captain of the sixth division and as clan leader."

Byakuya thought back to his interview with Gin Ichimaru.

" It's been a while since I had seen my grandson. I wanted to pay him a visit."

"Jii-Sama, this house is yours for as long as you wish. You are always welcome; it goes without saying."

The old man nodded, playing with his beard.

"And the war?"

Byakuya shook his head.

" Well, I have not much to say about it. Few events deserved to be printed on paper."

"You came home from the Hueco Mundo, hurt, if I'm not mistaken."

Byakuya turned his back on Ginrei to retrieve the Kenseikan he had set aside during training.

" Your sources are reliable, yes. "

There was no particular emotion in his voice.

" Very seriously injured. Rukia-San too."

" Yet, they have greatly exaggerated the impact of a mosquito bite on my ankle."

" Byakuya ..."

" Grandfather ..."

" I'm glad to see that you could serve the Sereitei to the best of your abilities. But, of course, urgent matters bring me here."

He clenched his jaw and nodded patiently. Byakuya could never imagine that his grandfather's visit could be an impromptu one. Ginrei had taught him well.

Ginrei continued.

"I make myself the emissary of a swarm of old capricious nobles."

"Are they not all like that ?" Byakuya said with coldly.

Ginrei's eyes widened in surprise. Byakuya did not apologize for his sudden frankness. He patiently wiped Senbonzakura's blade with a piece of linen. Ginrei noticed that some things had changed in his grandson. There was a strange gleam in Byakuya's gaze. Something that reminded him of his grandson when he was still in the tender age of adolescence, just a small flame in his dark gray eyes. He sighed, not knowing whether he should be delighted or, on the contrary, bothered to find a little of the stubbornness and passion of the young Byakuya.

" Byakuya..."

" Whatever they want me to do this time, I will do it."

At least, his sense of responsibility had remained intact. Ginrei nodded relieved.

" They want you to remarry."

Byakuya froze, the katana in the air. Senbonzakura was tucked back in its sheath briskly.

" I beg your pardon."

Any trace of vulnerability had dutifully disappeared from his face. Ginrei invited him to take a few steps with him along the outer corridors.

"I am confused, Grandfather. I thought I had already fulfilled these conditions."

There was a clause that wanted the head of the Kuchiki family to get married. But Byakuya had done it years ago.

" Being married to Hisana-san, you fulfilled these conditions. But her sudden disappearance ..."

Byakuya concealed his annoyance under a mask of neutrality. Ginrei went on, trying to be more diplomatic.

"...As tragic and unexpected as it was, the order was greatly upset, leaving the family without heirs. The fact that you and Rukia-San were so close to danger at the same time made your advisers and allies think hard. If something had happened to you in Hueco Mundo, we would have faced a dilemma."

" The duty of a Goteijusanbantai captain had never in the past hindered the function of Head of the family."

" I suppose so. True, I threw myself into all my battles, knowing that I was leaving the Kuchiki estate in the capable hands of your father, then yours. "

Byakuya lowered his head, thinking back to the promise made to his parents to make sure that the order and balance of the family be preserved. He nodded.

"Of course, we know it's an important step for a man in your position. We do not want to rush your decision. But it's been forty years, Byakuya-Sama, the future of the family rests entirely on your shoulders alone, and it is not fair."

Byakuya turned to the bamboo fountain that was in the garden, just at the foot of the statue of a woman in traditional dress playing the mandolin. His mother, Sakura, had been an excellent model. Sweet, calm, she was a brave and virtuous woman. He had long looked for similar traits in his wife. And in many ways, Hisana had met his criteria. But ...

Today, to start a new life, to start all over again seemed to him a more terrible test than the search for his bankai.

" You have the time to think about it. " Ginrei said.

Byakuya paced for a minute, internally debating the merits of this sudden request.

"No woman in Sereitei can hold my attention for more than the time of a conversation, Grandfather." He finally confessed. "Besides, I am absolutely certain the feeling must be mutual."

" Nonsense... You're the talk of the shinigami women's association. They wanted you for their magazines. You are a sought-after bachelor, and I'm sure such a woman do exist."

Byakuya gave his grandfather a look of curiosity.

"And you know all this because?"

The old man blushed, suddenly keen on changing the subject.

"Alright, Forget it... So Rukia-san should get married. She would give back a little of what this family brought her. She is old enough. An alliance with another noble house could reinforce our influence."

Byakuya stopped dead. Forcing Rukia to marry the first fool from a noble family. It would be worse. It would be a real disgrace. How could he look at himself in a mirror if he spoiled Rukia's happiness?

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"It's not Rukia's responsibility. It's mine for now."

Ginrei nodded. Byakuya was watching the endless stream of the fountain.

"Renji Abarai, my fukutaicho, will no doubt become a captain in the near future."

"I see. Rukia defeated an Espada. She is gifted. She'll make an excellent lieutenant."

"Yes, no doubt. But Grandpa, you're wrong about my intentions." Ginrei turned to him, listening to him. " No, I meant to say I want her to replace me when the time comes. Renji's quick evolution and our journey to Hueco Mundo made me think about how important it was to prepare the next generation just like you prepare me. If I die, Rukia will take over. I will soon draft papers in that sense."

Of course, that moment was still far in his mind. It would take several centuries to prepare Rukia. He realized that Rukia was a Kuchiki and that it was useless to keep her away from her destiny. Ginrei gasped in surprise. Byakuya continued on his way.

"Of course, I also agree with the family. It's time for me to consider moving on. Marriage may be as good a start as any."

* * *

Next chapter = The two sides of a coin


	6. Two sides of a coin

* * *

**Hitsugaya Tōshirō**

Captain of the Tenth Division of Gotei 13

Childhood friend of Momo Hinamori.

He was upset when his lieutenant Matsumoto Rangiku left persimmon crumbs on his desk. He was even more confused when their absence began to bother him.

* * *

Heads, Ichimaru Gin, would die. Tails, he lives. Heads, Ichimaru...

Tōshirō threw the Kan into the air. Lying on his back on the couch, he watched it spin in the air before catching it and discovering the result. Before he could take a look, the coin slipped from his hands to roll on the floor, stopping for his greatest despair on its edge stuck in one of the baseboards of the wooden floor. He sighed and concealed his face with his forearm. The office was quiet without Matsumoto. The paperwork was not piling up on the cabinet. The couch was even free for him to take a nap. Even the hallways of the division were quiet. When Matsumoto passed through the corridors, she caused whistles, heckling, and at least a dozen hemorrhages of the nose daily. When she walked by his side, she stopped time in her own way.

It was one of the little things that annoyed him about his lieutenant and that he was missing today. He glanced at the clock, which was not moving fast enough for him.

The morning meeting with Yamamoto had proven less painful than the last one, probably because the name of Matsumoto had been mentioned less often. Yamamoto had just announced the successful transfer of Hostile 15, Aizen Sousuke, to a secret location where he would serve his entire sentence. After reviewing the report of all captains present at the interrogation a week ago, the Central 46 had ruled that it was wiser to entrust the final decision on Gin Ichimaru to his peers.

For them, it was an excellent way to put into practice the newly improved Gotei-13 legal system. The balance of the system was endangered when, after killing all the members of the central 46, Aizen had usurped their identity to sentence Rukia Kuchiki to death. The intelligence of the central 46 had, therefore, decided to expand communication between the two ministries and decentralize the chain of command.

Too bad, according to Tōshirō, that their first act of goodwill had to profit to one Gin Ichimaru. The vote could only take place once all the captains' seats had been filled, meaning he had a few weeks left before him.

He still had no idea what he might vote. If he voted in favor of post-trial detention, he would betray Hinamori and all the victims of Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tōsen. But if he proposed to put this poisonous snake to death, it would be like betraying Rangiku, his lieutenant, the first person who ever believed in him. The person who had never abandoned him or doubted him. The person without whom he would not have made it this far and become captain. He would have betrayed Matsumoto's sacrifice.

He did not know how, but Matsumoto had tapped into her last strength to find her bankai and save the life of Gin Ichimaru.

It was not a single miracle. It was several small miracles attached to each other. That Rangiku managed to materialize Haineko and dominate her zanpakutō was merely extraordinary.

Tōshirō closed his eyes. If Gin stayed alive... He tried to imagine a world where Gin would continue to live quietly. Not so quietly, the Onmitsukidō Prison was the worst place on the Sereitei, and that was only if he didn't join Aizen in Muken. To be truthful, there would always be a part of him that would never feel safe if Gin Ichimaru remained alive since it was impossible to know his motives, impossible to know when he was going to strike again, impossible to quantify the threat he posed. What was it that Gin wanted? He doubted it was Rangiku.

On the other end, if he dies, Tōshirō will have to be the one to explain to Rangiku. This last thought deterred him from continuing the game of hypothesis. Good thing, they had more time.

He had at least another month from today, the date on which the captain's examination will take place to make a decision. Maybe in the meantime, Matsumoto will wake up. He hoped Matsumoto would be awake. Someone knocked at the door. He wondered who could disturb him at this time of day.

"Come in !"

Kira Izuru put his head through the crack in the doorway.

"Hitsugaya-Taicho!"

Tōshirō jumped immediately and picked up his zanpakutō in the same swing. Kira entered the room, his face tense. Toshiro worried immediately.

"Yes? Is it Momo? Or Matsumoto? One of them woke up? "

Kira shook his head apologetically.

" Oh no, my apologies, Captain Hitsugaya. When I visited them both this morning, they were still sleeping."

Hitsugaya nodded and dropped his zanpakutō unceremoniously on the coffee table.

"Okay, what brings you here, Lieutenant Izuru?"

Tōshirō started the business of making some tea for the both of them, but only manage to freeze the teapot and its contents inadvertently. He fumed all alone in front of the coppery object with a furious desire to call Rangiku for help. He turned to Lieutenant Izuru. Well, there would be no tea. He was not a very good host. He doubted Kira would mind anyway. He looked the part of someone who came with a purpose. His face was a mask of seriousness and concentration. The blond played nervously with his thumb until he suddenly stood up again.

Lieutenant Izuru hesitated for a long time before taking the initiative to put the kettle back on its base and prepare the tea. After a few minutes, Kira put two cups of hot tea in front of them before sitting down. Tōshiro nodded in appreciation.

" Izuru-fukutaicho, is there something you wish to discuss? "

Kira bowed his head again respectfully. He did not want to beat around the bush.

"Captain Ichimaru? I'd like to get permission to visit him."

Hitsugaya did not seem surprised by his request. In fact, he had expected Kira to make this request at any time. He lowered his head, thoughtfully.

" I fear that it is not possible, unfortunately."

"I beg you, Hitsugaya-Taicho."

Kira had addressed the wrong person. Only Soifon and Prison Warden Kōshinko Geren controlled the Senzaikyū's access to visitors. Tōshirō had obtained provisional access only during interrogations and pre-authorized visitations. He didn't know if he could even make it happen again if for reason unknowns he'd fancy losing another few hours of his life with Gin Ichimaru. But what bothered him about Kira's request was that he did not know what feeling was attached to it. Hitsugaya stared at the young man, looking for any trace of the hysteria that had animated Hinamori's eyes many times since Aizen defected.

"I tried to approach the Senzaikyū, but Members of Onmitsukido prevented me from going further."

Yes, stringent measures have been taken to ensure the safety of the prisoner and the Sereitei. Ichimaru was not an ordinary prisoner. He remained extremely dangerous. Remembering how that snake disabled every member of the 4th squad and disposed of one bankai-owner Koshinko Geren with Hakuda just last week made the young captain shiver. There was no underestimating this one. He was done making that mistake.

He sipped carefully and looked up at last. He needed to know for sure what Kira was up to. He made a deliberate decision no longer calling Ichimaru by his title. It would have the merit of opening Izuru's eyes to Gin's new status in the Soul Society. He was hostile 18. An enemy of the state. Kira looked at him in the eyes, his determination unchanged.

"Do you think I'm still paralyzed by admiration like Hinamori was with Aizen?"

Hitsugaya did not answer. He had forgotten how much the Lieutenant of the Third Division could be intuitive and insightful. He took another sip of his tea. He did not like to think about what possessed Hinamori at that time. How could she not see this coming when she was the one closest to him.

"I assure you, Captain. This is not the case. It has never been like this between us. If anyone knows what's behind Captain Ichimaru's smile, it's me. "

Tōshirō leaned forward hesitantly, not entirely sure he understood what the blonde meant by that.

"If Captain Ichimaru concealed his final betrayal, he never hides that he was prone to treason, so I was prepared to take over. "

Tōshirō was even more surprised. It was Kira's turn to sip on his cup of tea.

"It took me a long time to understand. It took me quite a long time. But eventually, I concluded that I could not have dreamed better Teacher. That is why, whatever happened in the future, I wish to thank him."

"Kira! "

"Let us be careful! I do not say that I share the cause of Captain Ichimaru. I believe in my Shinigami mission unlike him. There have always been some things that preceded his mission. Some things like ... I honestly do not know. He had a 'goal' I cannot find better words. "

Kira took another sip of tea, nodding for emphasis.

"He had a goal that went far beyond the scope of the division. It was as if he could not see further than that."

"I understand."

"He was an actor. He acted the part. Never letting us reach him. Never letting us see beyond the script. He was unattainable and sometimes cruel. Many times, his mischief has placed us in opposition to the other divisions. But every time the third division needed him, he was there. On countless occasions, I've seen him save the lives of his subordinates. Nobility or not, it made no difference. You understand? Nobody died under his command. Nobody left his command. Nobody even wanted to leave the boat under him. Nobody had to get dirty for him. I cannot just forget what he taught us."

Tōshirō caressed his chin, pensively.

"I see."

" Captain Hitsugaya? Rumors are circulating on Matsumoto, you know? That she did the unthinkable to save him?"

"Yes."

" I understand her too."

Tōshirō bowed his head with a sigh, reminiscent of the child in him.

"If it was up to me, Kira ... "

Kira nodded his facial expressions even more sinister than when he'd just came in. He continued to drink his tea silently. Tōshirō took a sip of his cup with a grimace. His beverage was cold and tasteless.

* * *

**Renji Abarai**

Lieutenant of the 6th division under the orders of Kuchiki Byakuya

Friend of Kira Izuru and Rukia Kuchiki

He wanted to climb higher than the clouds, not settle in Heaven.

* * *

The coin twirls in the air, its silver edges bathed on both sides by the last gleams of sunset. Another hand than its original owner retrieved the kan and Rukia Kuchiki's big head reflected roughly on the tinted glasses of Renji Abarai's sunglasses. Rukia gave a broad smile quite unlike herself, her hands on her hips as if she had just found a Chappy toy in a cereal box.

"If it's not her highness..."

Dollish little fists crashed violently into Renji's forehead.

"Why did you do that! " He shouted back. She rubbed her hands together proudly and sat next to him on the steps of the entrance to the Tenth Division.

"You are in a good mood!" He noted.

"Today was such a good day, and I can only hope tomorrow will tend to be even better if we really wish for it, Renji," Rukia explained, looking falsely serious. Renji pushed back his glasses.

"Are you serious?"

Rukia contorted happily next to him before staring at the landscape. The street was a bit deserted as always.

" Nii-Sama is encouraging me to take the officer exam!" She announced on the same perky note. Renji frowned. Rukia could have added at the end of her sentences the words "Pyon" and "Chappy" that the redhead would not have reacted differently. He was now genuinely convinced that this was not Rukia but a Modsoul talking to him, and to be fair he didn't know what he should do about it. Was it a good time to run? The lighthearted tone which she used was the oddest thing coming from her.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"He told you he was encouraging you. These were the words of Captain Kuchiki? My captain Kuchiki? Kuchiki Byakuya?"

"Of course not, he did not really say it."

"That's what I thought."

Renji breathed a sigh of relief. All was well in the world indeed as he could not picture Kuchiki Byakuya being anything other than his arrogant, snobbish self.

A confused glimmer in her violet eyes, the young woman scanned his face.

"What's up with you Renji? And first of all, what are you doing here?"

He mumbled something inaudible.

"Renji Abarai!"

Rukia scolded him, putting both hands on his face. When he did not answer, she pressed the words out of his mouth and made him spit it out like an old carp.

"I'm waiting for Kira... He wanted ...me to accompany him ... to Tōshirō Hitsugaya-Taicho ... ask for an audience to go ... see ... Gin Ichimaru... in jail... I mean in the Senzaikyu."

Rukia's good mood quickly made a run for it. She looked at him in partial horror, remembering how Ichimaru mocked her and tried to kill her. Renji bit his lips apologetically and blamed himself for answering her question too honestly.

" Oh, yes, I made the same face. But it was his captain. I think he needs it to move on."

"I guess. I can see your point. Renji, since when have you become so intuitive?"

"Since I've been considered for a captain position."

"No?"

Renji nodded to confirm.

" Ukitake- Taicho recommended me to the council of the thirteen divisions. I have my six signatures. I miss only seven more or at least the four remaining captains, and then I also need to achieve the aptitude test."

Rukia uttered a little cry of joy.

"You are in your gigai, aren't you? Chappy-pyon-pyon? You are going to ask me for ice-cream in a minute or so?"

It couldn't be possible for the friend he knew to be this extrovert. He knew this had to be an illusion of sorts. Rukia crossed her arms defiantly over her chest.

"Do not make fun of Chappy, Renji. It's a rather serious matter."

" Yeah? Who are you?"

"That's great, Renji! It was your dream. You'll make your dream come true! "

Renji watched her incredulously. Her skin glowered charmingly, and her eyes gleamed with an almost unnatural spark. She had changed so much since meeting a certain redhaired in Karakura. She was no longer the gloomy girl fighting for survival constantly on the edge he met decades ago.

"But really who are you?"

With a kick on his head, Rukia reminded her who she was.

" I cannot be happy for you? And what are you complaining about?" "Renji shrugged.

" I don't know."

To be honest, he thought he would have felt it, the spark of pride, the feeling of accomplishment, as soon as he'd get his nomination, he'd feel fulfilled. But nothing had changed. Captain Kuchiki continued to treat him as if he was less than the dung under his sole. The man did not see him. He did not offer a word of congratulation or advice. Nothing at all. Byakuya Kuchiki had welcomed this announcement with utter indifference. He had not even offered his signature. Tears rose in Renji's eyes, and his fist rose in the air slowly, denouncing the injustice. Rukia watched him curiously, wondering what had gotten into him. Renji seemed to realize that he was not in the arena of a coliseum and sat down on the steps next to her.

"Is it that Nii-Sama did not say anything about your appointment?" Rukia deduced with a wink. Renji nodded with watery eyes.

"I know he's your brother. But he is unbearable. Good God, I hate this guy. He is heartless. He makes me want to ..." Renji squeezed his fist again.

Rukia took his giant hands in hers. In the most dramatic way possible, Rukia pushed a lock of hair in front of her eyes, with her long butterfly lashes.

"You'd be killed Renji."

The truth elicited a spontaneous smile. He burst out in laughter and Rukia followed suit. He like that with the new Rukia. It was like a weight had been lifted and her heart seemed to be much lighter these days. She could laugh easily. She could smile without restraint. The only sad thing in Renji's eyes was that in all the years he knew her, he could never make the cloud disappear in her eyes with this much accuracy. This Rukia was a bold, charming puzzle. As happy as he was that the two of them had seemingly strengthened their bond, she still seemed at times as distant as her adoptive brother.

Rukia put one arm around his shoulder, but as she had the shortest limbs of the Sereitei, her hands barely reached halfway to his shoulder blade. She rubbed and stroked softly. She had seen Ichigo do it so many times with his sisters she practically became a pro. It was an excellent way to bring some comfort to someone, he explained to him then. Rukia had taken note.

" I am sure that Nii-Sama has noted your efforts in his service. But he is very concerned lately. Besides, I'm sure my brother's indifference is not really what's bothering you."

Renji lowered his head. She was pretty much astute herself.

" I'm terrified, Rukia. If I'm not accepted, I'll continue under Kuchiki-Taicho. Nothing will have changed either good or bad. I will not disappoint anyone. I would not even let myself down. But if I succeed, I'll become a captain. You realize! Captain? I forget some days how to tie my shoes. I'll be entrusted with a whole garrison. "

" You'll be fine. "

" Yeah? "

" I know you. You have everything you need to become a captain. You're brave like an army, Renji. And loyal! So Loyal a friend! And stupid also to the point of risking your life for a stranger, both are pretty much an awesome combination to have. You are hardworking. You are talented. I do not know anyone better qualified or equipped to do this job."

She nodded frantically, absolutely convinced.

"So, some encouragement from his highness, and you become another person, Kuchiki Rukia."

" You're just jealous, Abarai-Taicho."

Renji began to cry in despair at seeing his feelings unmasked so quickly before realizing she just called him "captain." He put an arm around her, squeezed her little body against his, and watched in silence as the sun set behind one of the Sereitei's watchtowers. Such a great way to finish the day indeed.


	7. Shinigami Cup Golden

* * *

**Kuchiki Byakuya**

Captain of the sixth division

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

A slew of witnesses of the following scene testified under oath that he would make a good father someday...

* * *

When Byakuya told his grandfather a couple of weeks ago that he was open to the idea of marrying again, he had not imagined he would already be sitting with Ginrei around a long traditional table to audition potential brides.

To some untrained eyes, he sat like a marble statue, sporting his signature expression. From time to time, though, his stoic expression was betrayed by this almost imperceptible tic on his left eyebrows. He pressed his lips together, in concentration, hinting at the turmoil in his heart.

He was uncharacteristically on edge, and it didn't help that Maremi, Lieutenant Omaeda's older sister, winked in his direction every time she leaned forward to grab a biscuit. Byakuya admitted he had unwanted thoughts at the time. He wanted to be blind. He wanted to disappear. But both were sweet, uncomplicated ways to take care of a problem. He'd always fancied taking the hardest course of action possible. Although he would never raise his hands on a woman (at least one who could not return the favor) he was thinking of crushing a couple of biscuit on her face not to hurt her but just so the crumbs would hide her not so pleasant features.

At her side, her sister Mareyo was such a contrast. She was a beauty without artifices whose only flaw was not to possess vanity. She was far too aphasic and introvert to offer any kind of interest. Not that he was searching for a woman who presented him with a challenge. His love for Hisana had been challenging in its own ways and consuming to the point where it took him four decades to connect back to the world. None could take his beloved wife's place in his heart he knew so this seemed entirely pointless in his eyes.

The head of the Kuchiki clan was indeed prepared to settle for a passionless union. He studied the young redhaired carefully. Out of all the women gathered she seemed the more likely choice, but at the same time, he could not get over how dull she looked. What could possibly go in her mind? The young woman barely looked up from her cup of tea. It was like she was fascinated by it. She was likely too young anyway and to think of Omaeda-Fukutaicho as a relative was even less appealing a prospect.

The other contenders were not better off. The brunette, sitting to the left of Ginrei, he could not remember her name, was drinking tea like a cow in the middle of the desert. Her companion on the left had a very angular face which threatened to slip from her neck at any moment like a game of cup and ball. If nature had been somewhat more generous with their companion on the right with her midnight blue hair mounted in an aristocratic bun, her features were plain. Her lack of good manners was so evident. She chewed her mouth wide open and spoke out of turn. She was currently laughing at something his grandfather said and hitting the table playfully at the same time unable to contain herself. Ridiculous.

This could very well qualify as the worst Soul Society's most noble and wealthiest families had to offer. Byakuya had never imagined his search for a bride was going to be an easy one, but he also had not imagined it could take such a form. Initially, Byakuya he thought it would have taken a more pragmatic approach with him choosing among a catalog the most interesting profiles for an interview in the privacy of his office. It might sound cold said like that. But he was sure; it would have lessened the awkward factor on this whole process of selection. But Minato, his intendant, insisted this would be a much more efficient way and a pleasant one at that to have all these women gathered for tea.

He even invested in a catering service, who did everything from the hideous floral arrangement to the extravagant and colorful menu. Nothing suited Byakuya's tastes, including the banana Taiyaki he was having. He didn't exactly taste it, but he hated the shape of it. There were too many orchids around him. He found orchids vulgar. The table was a carnival of bold colors. He only liked soft pastel colors.

The food was strange for the little he could judge even if it smells tempting. He was sure it was deceiving. It seemed to please Maremi Omaeda and that girl at the end of the table, and that alone deterred him from trying it out.

What had he done to deserve such treatment? Well, he wondered. Days after his interview with Gin Ichimaru, he was still in the worst mood, having trouble sleeping at night. It had nothing to do with the fact he believed he could have done something else to prevent what happened to Rukia. One could not simply fight his own nature. He just disliked the idea that someone like Ichimaru could do more for his love than Byakuya ever did, as if Gin Ichimaru had something more than him. One should not mistake this for a case of misplaced pride. But to think, he never could read Gin Ichimaru's true motives after knowing him all these years.

To understand that feeling it was necessary to go back to something like three centuries ago, when he was just a young lad, his grandfather had insisted that he enrolled in the newly formed special advanced class in Shinho Academy. Before then, it was usually admitted that nobles graduated the academy de facto in one year by way of privileges. The special advanced class was an innovative concept at the time, condensing pretty much thirty years of teaching materials in a one year-course with very inclusive and hands-on classes for students with high skills. So, Byakuya was among the first descendants of noble houses to ever attend. Only a handful of the most promising students were admitted at the time. It was about working in smaller groups, with a dedicated program, various field training sessions, early access to Kido and Hakuda knowledge, and the tutelage of prominent teachers. He remembered Gin, of course, as his main rival there. But the class also consisted of Omaeda Marechiyo ( whose overbearing father requested a spot for him when he heard a Kuchiki would attend and whose only skill may have been his abysmal lack of talents ), Geren Koshinko (a nobody then and now), Ozuzu Rurika ( Sasakibe's niece and a crazy tea lover who is now married with seven children now ) and the chubby lazy girl ( whose name he could not recall). The last one barely made it eight months before dropping out. It may as well have been a class with only Byakuya and Gin because it really felt like that at the time. Byakuya wanted to be the best in prevision of being the next Head of the Kuchiki family, and Gin wanted... Gin wanted to kill Aizen. Byakuya just realized.

"Kuchiki-sama seems so far away?"

Byakuya blinked and turned curiously to Mareyo Omaeda. His grandfather was conversing with the midnight blue girl, and the lady Bilboquet and the three of them seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. Underneath his tough exterior, Ginrei always had a soft spot for women. He never fled their company, Byakuya knew. Even if his sense of dignity and modesty always prevented him from acting out too much in public, he knew his grandfather had a lady companion in his house in Junriyan. Byakuya turned to Mareyo and realized she was blushing.

"Don't mind me, I could see you lost in thoughts, that's all."

"I am more an observer more than anything else." He muttered.

She was startled by his answer and nodded with a smile. The girl seemed like an honest soul really, and it was the first time he'd said anything that afternoon. In such circumstances, Byakuya knew it was not wise to admit that he could speak at all, but Mareyo seemed kind enough, and they soon find out that they had a shared passion for calligraphy. They were discussing how to choose the best paper grain for it when Byakuya stopped mid-sentence all of a sudden. He had just realized what he was doing. The table was silent and overseeing their exchange. He carefully sipped on his cup of tea. There was no need actually to give any of these women false hope. None of them could ever come close to step in the shadow of his beloved wife.

Byakuya turned to one of his maids and asked her to bring his banana cake back to the kitchen on the pretense that it lacked flavor. The servant immediately complied.

To be truthful, he had not tasted it. But if it helped him out of this nightmare, this ambush organized by people who seemed to harbor a deep grudge against him, it was all worth the trouble. Bilboquet Lady spoke again and asked him if he liked Music. See what he meant earlier. He needed an escape route.

Byakuya felt Rukia's reiatsu nearby, and he focused on it for a while. She was with Abarai Renji. The latter was oozing reiatsu everywhere in the garden of the South wing. Byakuya was about to get up from the table, having found there a perfectly acceptable excuse to abbreviate whatever this gathering was supposed to be when the maid returned with the cake and a very chagrined expression. The poor woman did not dare meet his eyes.

" What is it, Mimosa-san?"

The little brunette swallowed hard before bowing to beg for forgiveness.

" Kuchiki-Sama, the cook... Well, the cook asked me to tell you..."

The young woman hesitated a long time before delivering her message breathlessly.

" The chef said that this cake is cooked to perfection, that you can test it to the touch and that as it happens, you must certainly lack a sense of smell to appreciate her use of spices, she did use the right amount. She also said that she always pitied the poor souls born without... olfactive skills or taste buds... But... But I think she was... musing... to herself then."

All the young women present let out a collective gasp of surprise. Miss Bilboquet's jaw almost hit the table. Silence fell in the room. Ginrei looked up at his grandson and finished his tea in one gulp. A dark aura enveloped the master of the house. Without moving a millimeter, Byakuya just repeated his first order.

"Bring this back to the kitchen."

The young woman complied promptly before returning less than five minutes later with the plate and a bottle of sake.

"Kuchiki-Sama, I'm sorry but the boss ... B-but..., not the Boss... I mean the Chef... Well, The chef wants you to try it again, with a bottle of saké this time... to loosen up a little...The Chef's words, not mine."

"What did you just say?"

Byakuya only glared once in her direction, and Mimosa wanted to find shelter under a table somewhere.

" Please, my lord ..."

Byakuya did not show goodwill.

"Bring it back to the kitchen." He whispered, and the more he lowered his voice, the more his employees and guests could feel his anger.

The young woman left again to come back to the brink of tears.

"Kuchiki-Sama ... Please! Do not force me to go back there."

Even though there was a chance this makes him look like a sadist who loved to torture his servants at night in the dark dungeon of his castle, Byakuya remained composed. The girl returned to the kitchen reluctantly. Poor Mimosa-san made the trip eight more times before she approached the point of no return and considered throwing her apron and throwing herself by the balcony as a bonus.

Neither the chef nor Byakuya-Sama had yielded a millimeter. Ginrei cleared his throat, wiping himself in a towel, clearly unsettled by what was happening. Byakuya released his Reiryoku into the room. The violence that colored his red aura left his guests speechless. The Bilboquet Lady was almost ready to faint. Ginrei tilted his head to the sides with the shadow of a smile. Oh! It's been a long time indeed...

The two Kuchiki turned their heads toward the door at the same time when they felt the proximity of a powerful spiritual imprint as virulent and passionate as that of the master of the house. When he heard the ruckus behind the shoji doors, Byakuya pushed the maid out of the way gently but firmly and opened the door himself. Who dared to disturb the serenity of his house? The nerve of this Chef to come in front of him after this severe offense. The door slid open briskly. One little specimen of a woman appeared on the threshold. She was probably a head taller than Rukia. Her scarlet Kimono, whose embroidery seemed sewn with gold thread and red silk, ended in an unusually long train behind her. The garment alone seemed quite heavy on her. The sewing was so sophisticated however that it gave her a slimming figure and only enhanced the most natural curves. Byakuya stared at her from head to toe, in awe, just like he would stare at a tornado landing and crashing his luxurious garden, in slow motion, with a mix of horror and pious wonder. Her fan slammed loudly as she unfolded it in front of her bright green eyes and it blew the coldest draft on Byakuya Kuchiki's dazed face.

His eyes traveled her once more and his mouth opened ever so slightly. Her bronze skin was vaguely reminiscent of that mischievous demon that was Yoruichi Shihouin. She probably came out of the same vulgar mold if one only took notice of the insistence with which she was fanning her face and his for that matter in the most annoying way. He was frozen there with no alternative but to bear with the sudden discomfort he felt. A golden hairpin mounted with a ruby pearl held half of her ebony hair in a complicated bun. Strange how she had brown and golden hair like a cute puppy with a mottled fur. Her locks ran lower to her heart-shaped rump. It was really harmoniously shaped and plump, but that was of no importance to the story he reasoned. The rose temporarily colored his face though from his neck to his ears, and he looked away immediately. What was wrong with him?

She pushed her giant fan away from her face just long enough to scan the room. Finally, she walked to the table without acknowledging Byakuya and came to a halt in front of Ginrei. With one gentle gesture, she closed the giant fan at once, methodically catching the attention of everyone in the room. Her green eyes remained neutral. Byakuya approached slowly, looking at the door from time to time, uncertain this was not just a joke. She took a deep breath. All the guests caught theirs. She paused and bowed slowly in front of Ginrei.

" I am terribly sorry. I cannot apologize enough for my previous behavior, my lord. I believe there is a misunderstanding. I pride myself on putting all my heart into my creations if I must say so myself. I tend to take things rather personally at times."

She smiled amiably. "But this is only the fault of an artist devoted to please. Will you tell me again what was wrong with the Taiyaki? I am rather familiar with the recipe, and I am... well, surprise, to say the least since I used my family recipe with only minor improvements on my part, but I am here to learn. Was it not to your liking? What can I do to redeem myself?"

If Byakuya could make a few suggestions, the first one would be for her to disappear. Who did she think she was? No, really, the question was who was this woman anyway?

Byakuya was at a loss for words. But when he found his senses back, she did something completely unexpected, and he almost swallowed his own tongue.

The little vixen fell to her knees dramatically with the grace of a courtesan, surprising Ginrei and Byakuya, making both men blush to the roots of their hair. The guests all gasped, Mareyo Omaeda hiccuped also.

" The only desire of a renowned Chef such as myself is to make sure her guests leave her table plainly satisfied. Because I aim to surpass myself each time... So, can you please, find it in you to give a young girl with a dream, a passionate culinary artist such as me another chance. Let me learn how to serve you, Kuchiki-sama, and please accept my sincerest apologies for being so rude earlier and probably overly proud. I am truly ashamed of myself."

Without more preambles, big crystalline tears formed along her cheeks, and her open kimono unveiled just enough skin to make the stoic Ginrei blush. No longer able to hold it in,

Byakuya lifted the dessert plate in the air before suddenly resting it on the table quite briskly. The audience jumped with several feminine sighs.

The woman finally straightened. She looked in his direction. The young beauty finally seemed to take into account his presence.

"Was he always there?" She asked the girl that was closest to her because this particular young woman was one that genuinely believed in female solidarity.

"Is he the gardener ?" She whispered to Mareyo and Maremi. The sisters paled even more.

"Of course he is not." Byakuya snapped back angrily. Was this a joke? He did not know what was most likely to make him angrier at the present that the young woman defiles his house by using her futile and indelicate charms or that she deployed said charms towards his grandfather.

"He seems grumpy... What did you do to him, girls ?" she whispered with an amused wink.

Byakuya thought he saw there hints of her madness.

"I can hear you, you know?"

The brunet ignored him and turned to Ginrei.

"Kuchiki-Sama ..."

She turned to Byakuya, pointing with a finger.

"And Kuchiki-Sama! Oh ! Of course! One is captain. One had retired. Father had mentioned the Kenseikan you wear in your hair all the time! I never thought it was still fashionable so I didn't really believe him. Now you're both wearing it so... nice way to confuse people... Anyway, I guess it is you! I saw you in the Seiretei News once, and I swear you'd be shorter! But hey, it's you!"

That was the straw that broke the camel. Feeling that he would desire nothing more than to grab that shameless little airhead and give her the spanking she had missed throughout her childhood, Byakuya recoiled towards the exit draped in his dignity. But it was not counting on the persistence of the demon woman who crawled quickly to her feet without more ceremony.

"Don't go! I am sorry! It was an honest mistake! I did not immediately see you as a man standing there! I apologize, my Lord. "

Byakuya opened his eyes wide, his eyebrows twitching frantically. She was getting on his last nerve, saying things like that.

"I ... I was too hasty, as always. People say that to me all the time. Tell me what you want me to do? I meant every word that I said... except for the ones earlier that may have accidentally hurt your pride. Can I bring you something else? I have a nice raspberry sponge cake with a chocolate custard sprinkled with chopped nuts. I picked them myself last fall, and I roasted them in butter and sake... The flavor is ...rich and so raw... Like a walk in a meadow... When you go and fetch yourself some berries... and the smell of rain is heavy in the air. It's my own recipe. I call it... Well, it does not have a name at present. But I can give it your name: The Kuchiki-sama. It does have a certain ring to it or... not. Not at all in fact. But I love making my customer feel special. What do you think, girls? The Kuchiki-sama? Who wants a bite? "

She turned to the other women who all looked horrified, and they shook their heads in fear.

"Isn't it funny that they don't want a bite of you, Kuchiki-sama?" She laughed.

She was holding her sides now, unable to breathe. The crystalline tears of earlier turned to salt. What was she saying? Byakuya pulled back when she pretended to want to approach him.

"It's okay...really..." She said in between bouts of laughter. She suddenly doubled over and let out another loud harsh cackle of laughter.

Where did this monster come from?

"This is unacceptable and I ... I want you out of ... "he stammered before being interrupted again. One of the hatches in the ground opened, and Yachiru pulled out the tip of her nose, like a rat in search of food. This nightmare really had no end.

" Byakkushi is having a party without me, Meanie? "

The pink haired girl picked up the banana cake, the object of the conflict and shoved it into her mouth in one go. Eyes closed, Yachiru remained as motionless as a statue. Her face took on an even more rosy hue. Her cat-shaped Reiryoku purred with pleasure above her head.

"Oh yummy, Bya-kun! "

The young baker looked up immediately, her eyes shining, full of stars. "You like? This is a family recipe. I found Taiyaki very dull, but I really tried to give it some modern twist. So, it's banana and bean paste and crushed peanut... "

" It was delicious ... Mrs. Jewels. Do you have any more?" Yachiru asked.

"Oh! What a lovely little girl! Is she your daughter, Kuchiki-Sama? No, it cannot be! Such a perfect little being! Let me hug you, dear! You just made me really happy. "

Yachiru avoided the arms of "Mrs Jewel "and fainted in the air to reappear over Miss Bilboquet's plate. She went around the table to empty all the dishes of their contents except for Bya-kun's grandfather who looked malnourished enough as it was.

" I'm the lieutenant of the 11th division. Yachiru Kusajishi."

" Oh! You're part of the Gotei 13."

"Byakushi is Ken-chan's friend, you know! Kenny loves eating too! "

The horrible monster turned away from him, fascinated by the pink-haired plague. Yachiru emptied a saucepan of custard, and the admiration of the beast only grew. What appetite!

"Do you have a mom? Do you want a mom? Do you want anything?" the red demon asked, her eyes shining, her hands on her heart.

Byakuya was deliberately frozen on the spot. Yachiru pushed the imposing Maremi Omaeda out of her way with one sweep of her hips that send Maremi flying in the corner. She sat down. He was about to ask her what she thought she was doing when the demoness disappeared to reappear a minute later with a seven-story cake. Byakuya paled considerably. She? Did she use shunpo?

Yachiru's eyes widened as if Ukitake had just offered her a present. Without Byakuya's having seen her use a knife, the chef split the cake into a hundred pieces that Yachiru gulped down one after the other.

" Hum, that's so good too! What's this ?" The little pink devil asked between two mouthfuls.

"It's called a black forest, my sweet. A very delicate dessert. My secret is the incorporation of 80 different kinds of chocolate spread over 80 superimposed layers and added to that, the best strawberries in the world, that of my greenhouse. It's a festival of nuances and an explosion of colors. Passion! Chocolate is about emotion. It's magical! It's about being in love, and the love being unreciprocated! Too many men break our heart and leave us used and confused. At last, it's about healing from disappointment. It's about the aftermath when you walk through the forest, and it's spring again. I thought the girls would need it after this whole shindig. "

" Wow! I can definitely smell the forest and the spring. But let me have just another taste, and maybe something else will come up." Yachiru winked.

The chef was only too happy to oblige. Yachiru engulfed another slice, all the while staring at the powdered geisha with big round eyes.

"You're so cool, Mrs. Jewel. "

"You are one amazing customer, Yachiru-chan."

Mrs. Jewel woke all the young women present from their lethargy with a snap of her fingers.

"Listen, ladies, let's be honest; this is not how you will catch a man. No, Men need to feel your indifference. That's what a Suki-chan believes in. My sisters never lack suitors, especially of the rich and boring variety, because they knew how to enter this special place in their hearts, all the while teaching their future husbands some humility. You will learn too."

One foot on the table, in a conquering posture, she pointed at first the anorexic brunette with a sadistic look and then Maremi Omaeda.

" You, stand up. You really all need to eat. You're too thin. Go get some food in the kitchen. You, what's your name?"

"Mia."

"You put those sleeves up and stop stuffing yourself. You?"

"Maremi..."

"You have to savor slowly, slowly...sensually. Take Yachiru-Dono as an example! Food is about love… I am the very romantic kind."

Her Reiatsu suffocated the room again. Byakuya frowned again. The demon woman burst out laughing, her hands on her hips.

" Yachi-hime, I have an excellent giant apricot macaron! It's filled with sun I tell you and a touch of something forbidden. You found out what. I will make you another one. You're still hungry, I hope? If not, make room for me, because my friend, I'm taking you on a culinary retreat! "

Yachiru burst out laughing as she finished off a plate of white grapes. Yachiru, lacking an appetite? She was new around here.

" Mrs. Jewel, you're very funny! "

" Oh, my little pink ganache! You can call me Suki. Suki Ichinose to serve you."

An evil glow animated the eyes of the newcomer who barely concealed her Machiavellian smile behind her fan. Byakuya walked along the wall trying not to be noticed and left the room. On the veranda overlooking the garden, he found peace. Suki Ichinose? Was this monster the candidate for the rank of captain? Impossible. Ginrei hastily left in a hurry after being surprised by Mimosa ogling the pretty thighs of Ichinose-dono. The two Kuchiki took refuge near the steps.

For a moment, through the opening of the door, Byakuya saw the demon woman in red kimono explaining to the other demons what was a custard. Yachiru disappeared around the table in a few jumps of shunpo and filled her belly without losing the pace. It was worse than a meeting of the Shinigami Women's Club.

" I admit it may have been premature." Conceded Ginrei, watching the show with detachment. "But I have not lost hope. It was just a start. "

Seeing as his grandson was still staring at the woman, he continued.

"A Suki-chan… She seemed lively too at that but this is no surprise for a Suki-chan! "

"A Suki-chan?"

"Well before your grandmother, I had an inclination for... But that's another story..."

"You said it like there is so many..."

Ginrei shrugged.

"There's the right amount...of Suki-chan. They are quite intriguing."

"Other girls like her you mean..."

"Well..."

"She is not human that Ichinose Suki…"

"This one must be Keikosuki if I'm not mistaken. The mole on her neck… I could never forget that mole... I mean she was a child then and she turned out a beauty indeed. "

"You know who she is…"

"Well, suffice to say I served with her father… But something tells me you knew that… It is not what you meant..."

"She is a candidate for the captain position."

"My ! Have Shikeguni lost his mind?"

"My point exactly."

Ginrei frowned slightly as if lost in thoughts but soon turned his attention to the garden. Byakuya followed his gaze. He also remained speechless. The day could not get any stranger.

* * *

**Kuchiki Rukia**

Member of Gotei 13

Sister of Kuchiki Byakuya

If Rukia had the choice to start a family, she would give birth to a dozen little white rabbits.

* * *

Rukia Kuchiki raised her head to the top of Sōkyoku hill with nostalgia. It looked so good there.

"Ah! Rukia-chan! I am sorry !" Ukitake-Taicho sighed his hand in his white hair.

" These are the orders of the Captain-General Yamamoto."

Renji nimbly descended the cliff with the agility of a baboon, with in his hands the last ropes that held back the inflatable Chappy that had been offered to Rukia as a good recovery gift by her captain. Renji landed easily on his two feet.

"Really Rukia, if I knew that this would interfere with the Sōkyoku reconstruction, I would never have offered it to you to begin with."

Ukitake patted Rukia's hair affectionately. The young woman sniffed sadly as Renji prepared himself to commit the irreparable. When she saw him point Zabimaru on one of Chappy's white legs, she could not help but hold her breath and close her eyes. Before Renji was able to pierce her Chappy, she jumped to hold his arm.

"Rukia, what are you doing? "

Renji tried to get rid of that dead weight, but Rukia clung firmly.

"This is Chappy."

" It's an oversized inflatable stuffed toy."

" No, it's Chappy."

" But Rukia ..."

Renji turned to Ukitake for some support. But Ukitake systematically scratched his white skull. He was disarmed in front of Rukia's tears.

" You were not told to kill him."

" Rukia ..."

"Just move him."

Renji pointed at the monster several meters away.

"He's huge! Where do you want to find a place to store it?"

Rukia gave her captain the perfect puppy dog eyes. Ukitake waved his hands in front of him.

"Rukia-San, these are the orders of So-Taicho. My hands are tied. Why not store it at the Kuchiki mansion? The manor is very big." He suggested.

Rukia felt her eyes tearing as she imagined Chappy's tragic end if he met Senbonzakura. But imagining Byakuya-Sama piercing her giant rabbit gave her another idea, a brilliant idea if you wanted her opinion. She tiptoed up to propose her plan to her captain who nodded eagerly under Renji's frightened eyes.

That's how they ended up trying to cross the Kuchiki Southwest garden incognito with a 10-foot tall Chappy tied by four large ropes that Renji was the only one to pull with all his might. It was him against the wind. His forehead glistened with sweat. He was about to collapse. Rukia was following closely behind, her arms crossed.

Captain Ukitake was kind enough to call his two "third seats" to the rescue. He had even helped them pass Chappy over the enormous arched door of the manor. But Jūshirō had been too terrified by the prospect of causing Byakuya's wrath to go further. He very solemnly and sincerely wished Renji and Rukia good luck in their perilous mission and evaporated in the air using shunpo.

"I cannot believe that I am doing this. Kuchiki-Taicho will kill us."

Rukia took her girliest tone.

"Of course not, Renji-kun. Maybe he'll kill you when I tell him it's all your fault and that it was all your idea. It's evident I'll be spared."

Unable to believe his ears, Renji stumbled in the rope and fell on his face awkwardly. Hands on her hips, Rukia laughed loudly. Renji grabbed her little neck and put a hand on her mouth.

"I feel a lot of powerful reiatsu and not only that of Kuchiki-Taicho."

" It's probably because Jii-Sama is there."

" Jii-Sama? Who ?" Renji asked. Rukia rolled her eyes as if the answer was obvious.

"Ginrei Kuchiki-Sama, Renji. Ni-Sama's grandfather."

" Ah!"

"Jii-Sama organized a big reception for Nii-Sama to help him find a new wife. Kumiko told me. It is even the caterer of the royal family who takes care of it."

Renji comically widened his eyes.

" Kuchiki-Taicho is trying to find a fiancé?"

He burst into laughter in his turn.

"Bwahahahahahahah!"

It was Rukia's turn to press her hand against his mouth with an air of reproach. "Renji, that's not funny. Nii-Sama is very lonely. He needs female companionship."

Renji only stopped laughing when he heard a plate break in the background. He picked up Chappy's ropes and hurried off on his way. After crossing three gardens, they finally arrived at the family Senkaimon. Rukia opened the gate, and the two shinigami tried to get Chappy inside before rushing into the passage.

Byakuya tried to understand what had happened. Some days, the mansion looked like a circus, and he was unfortunately part of the show. Ginrei, who was not paying attention to fashion, and who had never before seen a giant white rabbit in his life, tried to guess what ancient artifact, the two shinigami were tasked to hide in the world of the living.

"It's better not to ask questions," Byakuya concluded, turning on his heels to go to another living room.

Two hours later, Rukia and Renji returned from their mission, rubbing their hands with satisfaction. Rukia breathed a sigh of relief. In the world of the Living, Chappy had found its place at the center of one of the playgrounds of Karakura High School.

* * *

=Next chapter: Proficiency exam


	8. Proficiency test

* * *

**Ichigo Kurosaki**

Retired Substitute Shinigami

Full-time high school student in Karakura city

Friend of Kuchiki Rukia, Renji Abarai, Chad Yasutora, Orihime Inoue and Uryu Ishida.

Saves the world several times a day on PS4

* * *

Ichigo groaned as he glanced at his watch. He was going to be late for school. He turned off the TV and threw the joystick on the bed. Kurosaki Ichigo had saved the world, and his father bought him a gaming console as a reward. It seemed somewhat crazy and frivolous, but it was the perfect illustration of how Isshin saw things.

His father's antics always used to teach him a valuable lesson without seeming to. From his habit of waking him up brutally in the morning to his obsession with his sex life, the message that Isshin had wanted to convey with the PS4 was that strangely, by losing his powers, Ichigo had won, insisting on the notion of gain, the right to be an ordinary teenager.

Ichigo made a beeline for the dining room in a hurry, muttered a muffled morning greeting to his sisters, swallowed his onigiri and omelet in two mouthfuls and fetch a bottle of water to wash it all off. Karin stared at him suspiciously. Yuzu complained that he was spending a lot of time in his room these days. Isshin merely praised the sky, and Masaki, that their son, who was now in the prime of his youth, had found hobbies better suited to his age. With his fist raised to the sky, his face dripping with tears, Isshin swore that there were only two things that should concern a boy of Ichigo's age, video games and girls.

Ichigo replied by thrusting his head and his perverted ideas in the freezer. As Ichigo left the house for school, Isshin could only found solace in the arms of his youngest daughter, Yuzu. Wet cheeks against wet cheeks, having one of their weird father-daughter moment, they both lamented how distant the rebellious teenagers were these days under Karin's blasé gaze.

**In the End - Linkin Park**

Ichigo put his headphones on and let music blast all the exterior sounds around him. He walked on the sidewalk, his back straight, his hands in his pockets, so chill in the face of adversity. For just a minute, standing at the corner where the ghost boy used to live, he really savored the feel of the sun on his face. The memories of the time spent in the company of a certain death god would come back at the oddest time to haunt him. He wondered if she would forget about him with time. The way she laughed, her voice, the soft weight of a tiny hands holding his arms when they argued about the silliest things, the way they would look directly into each other's eyes when they revealed some hard-to-face truths about themselves, that time when she asked him not to follow her, Ichigo knew there was no way he could ever forget.

At first, after the war, Ichigo had been too tired physically to do anything but sleep. He had missed four weeks of classes and another week just to recover from the coma. He said goodbye to Rukia, and it was awkward and painful, but fortunately quick, just like ripping a bandage over a wound. The pain was agonizing for only one minute until his brain took over for his heart, he managed to get back in survival mode, crushing the spirit of the whiny pansy brat inside him who was dying to be let out. Since he had known this moment had been coming ever since Zangetsu told him about the final technique of his bankai. He honestly just had time to walk her to the front door, and it was gone. She was gone. He was back to being normal again. He was back to... Well, he was simply back, he guessed.

In a second time, he was pressed with questions about his origins and the powers of Isshin. In the aftermath of the war, most of his questions didn't find an answer. For some reasons, his father evaded the most direct inquiries and this umpteenth turnaround on Isshin's part was enough to set all his moody and volatile teenage hormones off at once. They argued. They fought. It took him a couple of days to cool off, and he only managed to do it because it occurred to him that by not telling the truth, Isshin probably only meant to protect him and his sisters, in the same way, Ichigo tried to spare his school friends from the ugliest truths. Growing up sucked. It meant you started to give adults extenuating circumstances for their BS because you realized you probably would do the same in their shoes. Sucks, right?! Maybe he was scared of the Hollows or the Gotei 13... Maybe Isshin made a promise to someone at one point; he didn't know.

And if at first, he had questioned Isshin relentlessly. Little by little, he had been content with half-truths. He was convinced that when his father would be ready, he would spill the whole story. As he said to Rukia once, there was no way he could ask something like that to Isshin without trampling on his heart, maybe desecrating the memory of his mother and getting himself dirty in the process. The only promise Isshin made was not to let him discover the truth on a battlefield next time.

Oh ! There was one question his father had answered frankly the first time he asked it. Ichigo wanted to know how he knew about the existence of the last Getsuga Tenshō.

His father had confirmed his doubts and had unintentionally given him some hope. Isshin had a bankai. He used the final techniques. He lost all his powers. He found enough of it back to hold a Dangai close for him.

Now he was content to know they had something in common. He no longer sought to explain his extraordinary spiritual pressure. He no longer tried to explain his attachment to the shinigami since his father was one of them. He had been a shinigami as powerful as a captain, and he had lost his shinigami powers once just like Ichigo by tapping into the last drop of his bankai. At least that's what he imagined ... The circumstances in which Isshin lost his powers had remained very vague. All he knew was that it explained many things like his father's behavior in the face of his mother's death.

It all gave him some form of courage to know that his father had been there at some point, that he had the strength to live his life, work, help people, and be a doting father. He wanted to show the same kind of courage. He needed to live his life.

He met with Mizuiro, Tatsuki, Keigo, and Chad a couple of blocks later. It was as if nothing changed. They had quickly settled back into their old routine. The embarrassing conversations from the beginning all found awkward conclusions eventually. He explained to Keigo, Tatsuki, Mizuiro and Chizuru about Soul Society, the part about him meeting Rukia and fighting basic hollows. They made the necessary correlations later with what happened with Aizen, who he learned had scared the shit out of his friends. If it hadn't been Gin Ichimaru's intervention, they'd be toast. Anyway, it all went better than expected. It was funny how it all made for a more cohesive group without disturbing too much of their initial dynamic. They never talked about the war much after that. They were soon back to more existential questions like Keigo wondering if he was going to survive one more day in high school surrounded by geniuses or if he was going to lose one day his virginity... Oh! And how many girls could Mizuiro hook up with without appearing creepy? Or when Chizuru was going to come out? Ichigo and Chad started beating the crap out of basic offenders and bullies again, the ones who attacked old ladies or racketed their schoolmates. The fact he retained part of his unusual physical strength helped a lot.

What more can be said? He was good. Ichigo Kurosaki, former substitute Shinigami, transitioned to a typical high school student without too much damage. It was even more average than his 'old' normal. He no longer felt the presence of spirits. He did not even sense the slightest spark of reiatsu in the wind.

He kept busy though. He was going forward trying to catch up with school and trying to decide what to do after high school. The idea of becoming a doctor like Isshin had crossed his mind. It seemed related to his need to help people. He had not settled for a career. Of course, from time to time, he wondered how long it would take for him to regain his powers if one day he found his way back to what he used to be. Drop the 'if.' Somehow, Ichigo knew/hoped it was only a matter of time. When the group reached Karakura high, Ichigo was greeted by the warm smile of Orihime.

"Kurosaki-Kun!" She greeted shyly. "Are you ready for the test?"

The test. True, if he was to believe his teachers, they were about to pass the "most important exam in their existence...", which for someone like him who knew what comes after death was hilarious frankly. It kinda put into perspective the whole establishing a ranking that would allow each student access to the university of their choice. Someone should wake him up when they offered the best tickets to go to Soul Society. He knew who he wanted to have in his neighborhood.

"Oi! Orihime! This is only a test! I'm not worried. And you?"

The young woman put a finger to her lips, suddenly pensive. He liked that she appeared more relaxed in his company than a couple of months ago.

" Last night, I dreamed that a Dinosaur was chasing me to the examination room. I managed to escape by throwing all the copies out the window so I could jump and land on a soft carpet. I guess it will be okay."

Ichigo made a sneer. Was that her idea of a premonitory dream? He was about to ask how a dinosaur could roam the very cramped hallways at school... when it could wait for its prey quietly in the yard. But well, he guessed dreams didn't need something cheap like logic. He nodded in her direction.

"I'm not worried! It's just an ordinary exam for me! You should not be either. You are among those who have the best grades! For you, it's just a piece of cake!"

Orihime lowered her head immediately to hide the rose that heavily colored her cheeks. To think Kurosaki-Kun thought so highly of her when she wasn't convinced at all that she would manage to graduate at the end of the year. She stole another furtive glance in his direction and was startled at his sudden solemn expression. His orange mane was longer, almost hiding his eyes, so she almost missed it. His jaw was set, and the ridges around his neck were visible, betraying his inner turmoil. She felt sad once more because Ichigo was trying his hardest to not show this face to the world. It was as if he was drowning in melancholy at times but was putting a good front with them. In fact, it was like nothing had happened. She was back with closed-off Ichigo from a couple of years ago. Orihime realized that no matter how close they thought they were, Ichigo would never share his pain with them. He had always been so private. He's got those dark eyes, this very steely expression that complemented his tough-guy persona. She knew he had the heart of a lion and that the absence of his powers was gnawing at his spirit. But there was nothing Orihime could do about it, nothing she could say that could alleviate his pain. She was practically sure he would not listen, just nod, smile, and reassure her that he was fine. He only ever showed his weaknesses to one person, and that person was no longer here to help.

As they neared their classroom, they could hear the clattering of chairs on the floor, heavy footsteps, and full-throated screams. Several classmates were leaning over and clinging to the bay windows as if the best rock band had come to give a concert in their playground. Ichigo abandoned Orihime to see what it was. Ichigo frowned as he saw the enormous white rabbit hanging in the air above the playground. He almost choked himself.

" Chappy? "

Orihime approached him.

"Kurosaki-kun? A problem? "

Ichigo tightened his jaw, his face twitching nervously. The little garden gnome! This tomboy addicted to fluffy rabbits! The ice princess with no artistic sense! When she said she would not be far away, she wasn't exaggerating one bit. What was that supposed to be? Ichigo shook his head before bursting into laughter, a sound so strange emanating from him that all his classmates turn around. Ichigo was laughing loudly unable to stop. He knew it. He had acquired the ultimate conviction. He would pass this test. He would succeed in his conversion from substitute Shinigami to an ordinary high schoolboy.

* * *

**Byakuya Kuchiki**

Captain of the sixth division

28th Head of the Kuchiki family

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Would like to pass a law preventing extravagant women from integrating Gotei 13.

* * *

This was really not his moment to be tested. That morning, a dark and violent spiritual imprint originated from Kuchiki Byakuya, that was silently making Captain Unohana and Captain Ukitake sweat by his side. All the captains, except Zaraki and Toshiro, were all lined up under the shade of the first division courtyard, kneeling on traditional and ceremonial carpeting.

Manatsu Dengeki had just finished her oral presentation. Married with three children, Seireitei native, Entered the Kido Corps something like 179 years ago, her zanpakuto was Kido-based. She worked closely with Hachigen Ushôda at the time.

Manatsu seemed like a serious contender, and she came very prepared, evident with the notes she distributed to all the members of the jury earlier. So the captains present didn't have many questions left to ask when she was finished. She was definitely not the reason behind Byakuya seething with barely contained rage.

That damn woman! Byakuya turned his gaze in the direction of the candidate's waiting area once more, and sure enough, his nightmare was laughing with Kenpachi Zaraki, Yumichika Ayasekawa and Madarame Ikkaku. He will not even waste time questioning the presence of Third Seat Madarame and his acolyte there. The proceedings were usually strictly forbidden to outsiders, and there was a fine to be paid for this violation. But who cares honestly about Zaraki's uneducated dogs of war? What really bothered Byakuya was that woman's carelessness! What business did she have playing with Zaraki when she should be preparing her jury interview? Not that he thought she should fool herself into believing someone like her could become a captain of one of the most elitist military service ever. Nobody wanted her there.

She was pretending to blush now like she was some specimen of a rare flower blooming for the first time. She was old he knew, older than she appeared to be. Everything about her was deceiving. He could not believe Zaraki could fall for this.

"Kuchiki-Taicho, would you care for some refreshments?"

Byakuya was boiling down, sending the waiter a menacing glare. Was he looking that desperate? The waiter withdrew immediately, his tail between his legs. Unohana glanced his way curiously. Byakuya avoided her stare, and this was all that woman's fault. Like he didn't notice that she was trying to bribe and influence the jury by distributing her infamous pastries through that servant. He watched the waiter going through the ranks of captains gathered making sure the plates were never empty.

"Something wrong, Kuchiki-Taicho?" Unohana asked, sipping on a cup of tea." You seem pale? "

" Everything is fine." He said, never leaving the scowl on his face. The servant leaned over again to offer Unohana-Taicho a surprise donut but carefully avoided the vicinity of the nobleman again.

Byakuya remained impassive. The audacity ! He was now convinced that the red demon had put something in the food. Captain-general Yamamoto was uncharacteristically enthusiastic about the whole proceedings as he was chewing on three surprise donut at once. The old man's cheeks were as pink as Yachiru Kusajishi's hair, and at times he would be humming softly. The others were not fairing better as Kyouraku was sleeping under his hat. Sleeping was not unusual for the ninth squad captain, but sure enough, he was having one of his loud, vulgar dreams, and no one seemed to notice. Komamura was distracting scratching his fur. Mayuri was greedily filling his pockets with the donuts. Ukitake was sleepy. Toshiro Hitsugaya was the only one missing as he asked for a leave of absence to visit his lieutenant.

Despite this distressing sight, Byakuya stayed inert when all he wanted was to upset the balance of the universe to flank a correction to this impudent creature. There was no way that tasteless woman could be chosen for such a prestigious position. She ruined his tea party. He practically had to kick everyone out of his mansion to restore the peace. She was a troublemaker and a disrupter...

He was not even going to mention the extravagance of the geometrical pattern on a white kimono, embroidered itself with gold filigree and her golden obi. Ridiculous! To think she had the nerve to apply for such a position! Had they fallen so low that they replaced their captains with incompetent labor worker? Unohana-Retsu glanced back in the sixth squad captain direction with a faint smile. It's been a long time since she's ever seen him so agitated. Byakuya realized he was leaking reiatsu all over the room, like a leaking faucet, like a debutant.

How unsightly!

He took a deep breath and focused back on Manatsu Dengeki. She showed excellent control of her Shikai. Pink swirls were tattooed on her face, highlighting her fuchsia look. Her smooth hair was cut asymmetrically and although it was a bit too modern for his taste. The consensus was that she was an attractive woman. But really, these details did nothing to move him, and the young woman was as cold and distant as the ice blade of Rukia's zanpakutō. But, she seemed to Byakuya, slightly less extravagant in person than Suki Ichinose and that decided his vote.

At the same time, it wasn't that difficult. Suki Ichinose was the devil herself. Outside, through the arch, one could see the pretty courtesan squeeze meringue into Yachiru's open mouth on her lap while Kenpachi and his subordinates looked on placidly. Of all the people in Sereitei, she showed more respect to the captain of the 11th division than to him!

"Fukkatsu, Anubis."

The Sai of Manatsu Dengeki transformed before their eyes into a tall gold trident with intricate swirl designs. She expertly twirled it with her fingertips. She showed great precision in the gesture. But what pleaded most in her favor was her expertise in Kido. She claimed to be able to cast spell level 1 at 80 without spellcasting. When Manatsu Dengeki completed the first part of her performance, Byakuya noted in the back of his mind that although she was skilled, she was nothing exceptional. Her performance had not captured his attention probably the fault of that living breathing distraction over there but still. Manatsu did not seem to show great authority and avoided looking Captain Yamamoto in the eyes, meaning she didn't have enough strategic skills to see that Yamamoto should be the primary one she needed to impress. Dengeki-san possessed enormous spiritual pressure nonetheless. But when one had to succeed the likes of Aizen Sousuke, Ichimaru Gin or Tōsen Kaname, it was not enough to be average according to him, it was necessary to embody the exception. But apparently the Seireitei had exhausted their resources, if one must just take another good look at the list of candidates again, you could see that none of them really made the cut. Not even Renji.

If Byakuya made earlier the decision to vote in the sense of the election of Abarai, to go along with the majority, it was above all because he knew the need for the three empty divisions to return to normal faster. Renji was the fallback solution. But it was still too early to tell if he was going to make a good captain. He was hardly a good lieutenant on his good days. He did not deny that time would probably make Renji, an exceptional shinigami. But according to Byakuya, to give him the responsibility of a division was to skip a step entirely. It was happening at least fifty years too early. But it's not like they really had a choice. Not many people answered the criteria necessary to make a good captain, the least of all being one had to possess a bankai.

Back to Dengeki, it was the most challenging test yet. It was necessary to trigger her bankai in the confinement of the courtyard of the first division, without causing any damage and thus demonstrating the perfect mastery of her zanpakutō. It had been an absolute breeze for Byakuya. But he had had the opportunity to witness some catastrophic scenario like Toshiro Hitsugaya's first demonstration of Bankai that froze and weakened the structure and foundations of the first division on his first try. Renji did scratch three pillars earlier. Yachiru was also disqualified. But one should not make the mistake of believing the result was really that important in itself. This was only a way to evaluate the potential of growth of a captain's skills and the range of his spiritual pressure. The level of Manatsu reiatsu climbed rapidly making the atmosphere difficult for all individuals with low spiritual pressure, so there were no maids in sight. A tornado of spiritual force three meters in circumference surrounded Manatsu. Calmly she pointed the trident skyward and unleashed her bankai. Their cups of tea on the floor vibrated imperceptibly.

Byakuya turned his head again towards Suki Ichinose. She was resting on the grass, staring at the clouds. What? A few minutes later, Manatsu's zanpakutō regained its standard size without much follow-through. The brunette saluted the assembly formally and headed to where the other postulants were waiting.

Geren Koshinko had been the first to be interviewed. His oral interview went well, but somehow something put the jury on the fence when questioned by the Sotaicho himself on the brutality and criminality rates in the Nest of Maggots, the detention center where he currently occupied the function of warden, he struggled to make his stance on the matter clear. Byakuya could see that even the most benevolent souls among them like Ukitake and Kyouraku could not picture this guy in the shoes of a captain. It did not help that his nerves afterward prevented Geren from calling his bankai twice. After insulting his zanpakutō, he excused himself on his knees in front of Yamamoto and blamed his physical condition.

Well, Byakuya wanted to think that Koshinko's presence had to count for a few things. His resume also was impressive. Everything was better than Ichinose Keikosuki, whose spicy scent he could smell from here. Even the most pathetic individual was better than this woman.

Speaking of the wolf, she was stepping into the lion's den in her immaculate kimono. Her train was way too long to imagine that she could move in effectively. Idiot! She would not go far. Her face partly hidden behind her massive fan, she sauntered amiably to the center of the yard. She greeted each member of the jury in an unsuited and overly too familiar manner for Byakuya's taste and ... His eyebrow tremored slightly in annoyance. Did she just ignore him again? Evidently, she was not afraid of losing her life.

Yamamoto nodded kindly, his cheeks red, appearing slightly intoxicated. Just remember, Byakuya called it first. The demon had poisoned them. Shunsui could not contain himself in the absence of his lieutenant and kept his eyes trained on the young woman, nostrils spread and mouth in the shape of a heart. Pathetic! She gave Shunsui a friendly wink, and Byakuya's soul almost left his body at that.

" Allow me to introduce myself to those who do not know me." She turned her head towards him and closed her fan with a snap. "Yamada Ichinose Keikosuki. O ai dekite ureshī. I am the 18th daughter of Tadashi Ona Ichinose, former third seat of the First Division, former captain of the fifth division, Member of the Royal Guard."

She opened her fan which caused a draft, lifting Byakuya's hair to the side. "And this is my zanpakutō, Persephone..."

" I must stop you right now, before wasting any more of your time, Ichinose-san, I'm afraid there is a reason for you to be immediately disqualified."

Suki concealed her face again in her fan. Byakuya's gaze betrayed no emotion for a few seconds. His reiryoku was as red as blood. Byakuya and the young woman stared at each other. Their two reiatsu faintly sizzled against each other. Yamamoto cleared his throat patiently.

"What do you mean, Kuchiki-Taicho?"

"Yamamoto-Sotaicho, I have reason to believe that the postulant has poisoned all of you, trying to sway the jury in her favor. Refreshments have never been served during proficiency tests before. This is highly unethical."

"Hum ..." Captain Yamamoto turned his head toward his subordinates for the first time, noticing the various states of unkemptness they were in. Byakuya continued.

" I'm sure she put something in these cakes to skew your point of view."

Yamamoto let out a quick laugh. He was interrupted in his reply when the aspirant Ichinose burst into tears and fell to her knees. She started crying right there, her tears like a waterfall. Unohana-Taicho gave Byakuya a look of reproach. Shunsui immediately stood up to help the beauty get up. He even used his own flower fans to dry her tears.

"Ichinose-dono, don't cry! It's not that bad."

"Somebody shut him up! I can't believe it! He's still criticizing my cooking! That horrible man! He is so mean!" She moaned. "He dares to accuse me of poisoning all of you as a bonus! What an injustice!"

Byakuya watched this masquerade with a grimace of disgust. Oh, this woman!

"I have done everything to make myself agreeable. For my father! I even beg for forgiveness on my knees! What did I ever do to you! How can he spread such gossip and destroy the reputation of my family? How?"

" Come on! Come on! " Shunsui sighed, waving his little fans faster. "Do not pay attention! He is constantly like that! He was born with the worst disposition! Byakuya, tell Suki-Dono you're sorry!"

Byakuya did no such things, not dignifying this with an answer. Like a great tragedian, Suki rested her forehead on the ground and bowed to her ancestors, her tears forming small puddles on the floor.

"Oh, father! I am so sorry! I cannot live up to your expectations! Sorry! I must go back home." she said to no one in particular.

Yamamoto turned his head towards Byakuya, his impatience growing. By this time, on captain exam day, he was generally back to his residence to enjoy his outdoors baths naked with yakitori barbecue. Byakuya was not helping the matter by indulging this Suki-chan.

"It is with my deepest regret that I decide to retire my application before any further dishonor comes tainting my family's name." She said, standing up, keeping her head high.

"You're disqualified. No need to retire." Byakuya sneered.

"I will retire if I want to. " She snapped and glared at the Head of the Kuchiki family, all traces of her crocodile tears gone.

"It just means that you are capable of one sensible decision."

"You are a bully."

"You are a fraud."

"That's enough!" Yamamoto intervened. "We have been here all morning, and maybe it may have gotten overwhelming to some. Please proceed, Ichinose-Dono. You have not yet been disqualified."

The shock was all plainly written on the sixth squad captain's face, but he wisely chose to keep his mouth shut. He won't play their game. Suki nodded immediately, the grin on her face she partially hid once more behind her stupid fan. She straightened up gracefully staring hard into Kuchiki Byakuya's gaze. Her reiryoku was off. It was impossible for others not to see it.

Suki Ichinose's voice no longer showed the slightest trace of her past distress. What an actress!

"Can you tell us a bit about yourself, Ichinose-san? Unohana-Taicho asked amicably.

"I..."

"You're a cook? A very renowned one?" Soi-fon interrupted with a certain edge in her voice.

Suki politely nodded. Byakuya rolled his eyes. Her reputation was greatly exaggerated if someone asked for his opinion. Suki sent a quick glare his way. For apparent reasons, not everybody wanted Byakuya's subtle input.

" I am lucky that I could live all those years from my passion, yes," Suki said.

"I did a bit of research. Bentobu is a very upscale venue, generating several million in revenues every year and you're its headlining chef. Your principal client is the royal family. This is already a big responsibility. It's quite different from what we do here. You cannot expect this to be a part-time job even if you were qualified." Soi Fon said sternly.

"The restaurant, as well as the traditional clothes manufacturing business, has been in my family for millennia. It will continue to do so even after I pass away. My father has 20 daughters. I am the 18th. Someone will take over where I've left off. We are not too proud not to know that we are all born disposable."

Byakuya frowned, sensing a definite change in her. Gone was the candidness, she appeared very serious. She opened her fan again, hiding her face.

"Your qualifications are what we must judge, and I notice a lapse in your resume. You did not tell us what kind of education you received apart from a culinary apprenticeship with your father."

"I did not graduate Shino if that's what you're asking."

Soi-fon shrugged. Byakuya never expected to found an ally in her, but even he was getting uncomfortable with her line of questioning.

"Well, that confirms a few things then."

"I did attend though..."

"You attended Shino?"

"Yes?"

"When... "

"I'd rather not talk about it. Do you like chocolate? You look like someone who would..."

"A few centuries ago if I recall. She was in the Advanced class. Her sister, Natsuki-Dono, was my ninth seat at the time. May she rest in peace. But Suki was a brilliant student."Unohana cut in.

Byakuya frowned. No ! She couldn't be...

"Chubby-chan?" Byakuya whispered.

"Do not call me like that... You horrible man! How dare you? You and your stupid hair and stupid face and stupid title! " She retorted back looking every bit like the lazy, chubby girl in the back of the classroom.

"The...the... the... Advanced class... You mean the one for high-skilled students...Oh!" Soi-fon stuttered incoherently.

Yamamoto let out a quick sneer. This session was so lively.

"Indeed, if my memory does not fail me it was the same promotion where Kuchiki-taicho and Ichimaru Gin came from." He said.

Kyouraku and Ukitake nodded impressed. Suki shrugged.

"I don't remember much from that time. I was so young. But I remember Gin-Sama. He was nice to me. He was not a bully like someone I know."

Gin Ichimaru...not a bully? Has that old hag lost half her brain? Byakuya avoided her stare and shook his head. This was a nightmare. The other captains were looking at him squarely. He was not the one who found the nickname! It was not his fault he could never remember that girl's name!

" I left the academy before graduating. You have an excellent memory, Unohana-Taicho. Natsuki-chan was indeed my beloved older sister born twenty years before me."

"Natsuki-san was a shinigami of great values, and she was also an outstanding pastry chef just like you. " Retsu said.

"She was indeed," Suki replied with an ounce of nostalgia.

She seemed sincere. The young woman lowered her head.

"Despite never having followed the typical curriculum of the Shino Academy, I have been trained in all the ancestral disciplines. I cannot swear I excel in any ... But I did learn..."

Byakuya fulminated in response. Who was she kidding?

" And I can swear to have studied seriously ... Under the tutelage of my family's old friend, Yamamoto-Sama, Sotaicho of the thirteen divisions, my sensei. It is at his and my father's requests that I appear before you today. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. "

She respectfully bowed.

"When you filled out your application, you left the case describing the name and ability of your bankai empty. But you do possess one, right?" Soi Fon asked again. She could never leave "well enough" alone.

"Well... I don't think we could say I possess...One... Possessing a bankai is difficult... I mean I am a sucker for freedom... Everyone should be free..."

"Suki..." Yamamoto said impatiently, fearing this would be taking forever.

"Alright, I do have a bankai. But I can't show it to you. See, I'm not very good with it. I have read somewhere it's not a prerequisite that it has to be shown. But if you insist, I will be unable to face the competition anyway since I sorely lack skills. I mean it."

"She should be disqualified then," Byakuya repeated stubbornly.

"We heard you the first time, Kuchiki-sama. Technically, you're not wrong, Ichinose-dono..." Unohana said again. "You do not need to show it to us to become captain. But..."

"Don't worry! It was nice of you to have me here, Unohana-taicho. I had a great time with all of you, even you... "

She pointed at Soi Fon and then turned to Byakuya.

"Except you sir! Shame on you! To pick on a girl! Shame on you! Thank you. Goodbye."

She strolled happily toward the door.

"Suki...Wait, I wasn't finished..." Retsu said.

Suki barely turned.

"You're not calling this Suki-chan, are you?"

"Keikosuki Ichinose, get back here immediately," Yamamoto growled.

She froze but did as she was told.

" Keikosuki-chan, I know you put a little something in the donuts just like Kuchiki-taicho said. I was willing to overlook this since it's quite relaxing and I love your surprised donuts anyway. But If you don't want to risk jail for attempting to the life of members of the gotei 13, you will show your bankai."

"I did not attempt to ruin any lives. Cardamom and chamomile are extremely healthy ingredients... It has a soothing effect... It's good for digestion, and it may help sleep and relax a little...But to achieve a true soporific and recreational quality on high reiatsu users, one has to theoretically distill their concentrated essences with Sativa ( which is a neuromuscular blocker and a spasmolytic) and Sekki crown. Sekki Crown, the mineral element that formed Seki Stones, like Sekkiseki or Reiasekki. As you all know, it is not found easily around here. It's really difficult to extract and rather expensive. What makes you think I would think about all that with my tiny brain? Anyway, I'd much rather go to jail than show my bankai, sorry Yamamoto-sensei."

Suki had just earned herself Mayuri's vote. The girl looked like she knew her way around poisons, interesting. Yamamoto groaned again.

"You're still this stubborn..."

"Well, you have not gotten any better yourself, Sensei. I must go now. See you for your birthday! I will bring your favorite! Can I go please?"

He smiled at her with almost paternal indulgence, making Jūshirō and Shunsui grinned in return. They knew when their "adoptive father" was up to no good. Suki smiled nervously. She had disarming weapons for lips and captain Kuchiki knew he could definitely not compete fairly.

" I yield," Yamamoto said, and all the ears of the captains present perked up at the sound his reddition made. Yamamoto nodded for emphasis. A strange exchange happened between him and Suki-chan at that moment.

"You do? You do. No, you can't?! Oh my! You do!"

"Affirmative. You won."

"Won what? I don't want to win." Suki stated childishly.

" Suki, you will show the jury your Shikai, but I really have one condition."

Suki bit her nails nervously, shocked.

"I won..."

"Yeah, and my condition is for you to give it your all."

"My all?"

"Your all..."

"When you say my all, do you mean I have to sweat for it or something..."

"I mean your all, sweat and tears... possibly blood, little girl."

It was then that the impossible happened, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto showed his sharp canines in the most conniving way, and Suki became so pale, she hid her face behind her Tessen.

The surprise caused a drop of sweat to flow on Byakuya's temples. The old man slowly nodded while stroking his beard. Suki threw a defiant glance in his direction, shaking her head. She closed her tessen with a tremendous bang.

**Night Fight - Original Soundtrack of "Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon"**

Pacing nervously, Suki took a deep breath then. She took off her tabi slowly. On the same rhythm, she drew a circle with a left leg before stepping forward. Byakuya stared at her left ankle, which was moving on the ground with the suppleness of a reptile. The shadow of her foot on the courtyard was like the open mouth of a snake ready to bite. He concentrated. It was just an illusion. The heel of her foot hit the ground again. She drew more abstract shapes on the floor. There were a few things in her technique that seemed to unsettle him. In a steady rhythm, her foot hit the concrete again. The same disturbing sound as she glided down the floor. Her right foot hit the ground, raising a new cloud of dust. She slid on her tiptoe more than she walked. Byakuya followed their sensual dance with the concrete. He tracked the movement of her feet, went up along her legs, along with her hips. Something was suffocating him... The air sizzled with electricity, the ground vibrated with a deep rumble but he barely noticed. There was a weigh on his chest, and he turned to see Captain Komamura's head hanging low like he was about to faint. She turned on herself again, gracious like a traditional dancer. He heard nothing but the jarring sound of her foot gliding on the floor... The golden charms in her hair played a sweet melody in the air. He had already heard that music somewhere. Her foot struck the cemented floor again. Byakuya searched his memories to find the origin of that melody. Suki whirled around gracefully, spreading her fan wide. In one swift motion, she stooped on one leg for support and stretched the other, lowering herself and her fan slammed still in the wind in a metallic noise. It grew even larger in size. She closed it and hit the floor with it. There was another crash. The walls trembled around her.

Byakuya locked gaze with her... Her green eyes ... He could not avert his gaze. That melody ... Byakuya rubbed his nose feeling a migraine coming. Her foot raised a new cloud of dust. She drew circle after circle, and he was lost... A gust of wind ... The jewels in her hair tinkled in rhythm. She jumped backward nimbly using one hand for support. She gracefully glided on the floor. He turned his head ... Could it be the sound of the fountain in his garden? Could it be Sakura? Her foot hit the ground again. Byakuya could see his mother again playing the mandolin sitting under the cherry tree, and his first impulse was to run toward her. He swallowed hard. He heard Senbonzakura scream a warning in its sheath and he jerked his head up in time to avoid the sharp edges of Suki's Ichinose's Tessen. This woman! She was no longer dancing in the center of the room anymore. Without his notice, Suki Ichinose had approached where he was kneeling. She dominated him on tiptoe, ready to put him to death like a royal assassin. Byakuya felt his blood froze. When did she move? Since when? In one hand, the young woman with green eyes still held her Tessen. The sharp blades of her Tessen had achieved the impossible and tickled his throat. He lowered his eyes. The Zanpakuto was almost invisible. It was similar to sharp glass. How? He sweated. Suki Ichinose did not have to call her zanpakutō to give it back its true form. You had to have a high level of mastery to perform this kind of exploit. She just stated she had none and now as her head bowed slightly to the left; she was looking down on him. There was not a glimmer of hesitation in this woman's almost reptilian green eyes.

"Taberu," she murmured with a cruel smile. "Perusepone."[2]

A red aura enveloped her face as the captain of the sixth division released the tight leash he had on his own reiatsu. Byakuya pulled Senbonzakura from his sheath in the same breath and in a shrieking clash of metals, he met the cutting edge of Persephone. The subsequent explosion blew up the far left columns with a domino effect. Byakuya's eyes remained alert, and he moved swiftly like the wind. She was behind him like his shadow. Damn, she was fast! He had just realized it then. He was not having a migraine, he was suffering the weight of her spiritual pressure. Who was this girl? Such a spiritual pressure? He moved in the center like a ghost, she predicted it and in a gambit move, she hit the empty perimeter before he made it. The strength of the impact blew a hole in the inner fences separating the first division from the second, and Kuchiki Byakuya almost stumbled ungracefully changing course at the last nanosecond. But one was not the second-fastest Shunpo practitioner in the Seireitei for nothing, and he made it, using Senka. Senbonsakura was about to shred that expensive Kimono. Enough was enough. This madness had to stop! Instead, Senbonzakura met her glass tessen again in a collision of opposite forces, the surge of spiritual pressure like a tornado around them. Around them and within a radius of thirteen kilometers around the courtyard, the world became blindingly white.

"Damn! That's what I call a fucking reiatsu! That lucky motherfucker!"

Only the voice of Kenpachi Zaraki managed to pierce the shrill sound of the metal against the metal while Yamamoto Genryusai finished his cup of tea and popped a couple of surprise donuts in his mouth. Sitting on his left, Unohana nodded, looking just as unfazed as the Commander.

Byakuya let go of his zanpakuto.

"Chire, Senbonzakura."

Pink covered everything.

"Youngsters." The old man said.

* * *

[1] Raises Anubis.

[2] Eat, Persephone.

Next Chapter = Gotei 13


	9. Gotei 13

* * *

**Keikosuki Ichinose**

Daughter of Grand Master Tadashi Ichinose, Official Caterer of the Royal family, Member of the Zero Division

Head Pastry Chef of BentoBu, Luxury Cuisine

Heiress of Ichinose Living, Traditional Kimono and Home Accessories Manufacture

Self-proclaimed favorite Goddaughter of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto

Maybe it was because she smiled too much, maybe she wore too much pink, for some reasons, people thought she could take criticism well.

* * *

Ten days had passed since the Test. It had taken this Suki-chan three whole days to recover physically from the brutal assault. Only an assault could best describe what went down that day in the courtyard of the first division. She was an innocent victim in all of this.

And, it took a little bit more than that for her pride to recover enough that she would come out of her room. She felt continuously harassed by her mothers, her sisters, the servants, the universe. It was not enough that she lost her pride in that battle, she was disfigured now. Senbonzakura had mutilated her beautiful mane. She lost her golden locks, such an essential feature in a Suki-chan and who wouldn't be depressed by that? It'd probably take years to grow back. Call it vanity if you will. But what cruel sentiment possessed that man? What has she ever done to him? He could have shaved her head; it'd be just the same. She was now damaged beyond belief.

What if she wanted to become a hermit now, moving permanently in her room, under the shelter of her favorite comforter, immune to the horror of the world. That was her choice!

As it turned out, however, the universe had another plan for her, if she trusted the insistence with which some harbingers of doom were knocking on her door. Keikosuki bolted upright and regretted her bold move immediately as a wave of dizziness took over. Well, this might happen when one remained prostrate in the same position for a day and a half. She did not want to leave her queen-size bed, but the door would not resist much longer. Everything was precious in this room to this Suki-chan, especially the grand majestuous bed behind her. The last thing she could do was to protect her sanctuary.

"Who is it? I said I am not hungry. I will never be hungry again."

" Suki, wake up! You cannot fall asleep, you idiot!"

Oh no! Keiko opened the door at last to find more Suki-chan than one could handle in the morning. Two of them were standing in defensive formation like a beehive ready to pounce. Cleosuki, her big sister, who had just celebrated the appearance of her first gray hair last month, was standing on the left. Her hair was two-toned to perfection, the left side blonde, and the other side ebony. Ayakasuki, the violin prodigy, more a blonde than a brunet, she was also perfectly two-toned, her hair reaching low on her back. Keikosuki felt depression tore her insides apart. She wanted to cry. She was so ugly now.

But Ayaka-chan looked for lack of better words positively aggravated and that could become dangerous very quickly.

" It's just like you to be ready to "fall asleep" again just because you got rejected! Are you going to stay in that room forever?!"

"Ayaka-chan, be nice!" Cleo warned.

" Like I want to be nice to her! She is too spoiled! I told you enough! She still cannot fail gracefully!"

" Ayaka-chan… This Suki-chan has been through a lot..."

"That's what everybody says, but she needs to toughen up! The world is not a nice place! Life is not fair! She could be a great loser, but she is always like this !"

Keikosuki's cheeks burned a hot shade of pink. She was ready to sulk.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Aya… This Suki-chan… was not rejected… Not really… Not yet… Not by that Kuchiki monster… not by anyone! How dare you!" She whimpered weakly before she started sobbing in earnest.

Cleo gathered her younger sister in one swift embrace while exchanging pointed looks with Ayaka. Before all this, could you believe she made Ayaka promise to be more compassionate?

"Like I believe that, Suki… You had one thing to do… No, two things… It was like a choice. Either, you made the Kuchiki family happy, or you made Yamamoto-Sotaicho happy… You did neither! You lazy cloud rider!"

"How dare you? You mean-spirited forest troll!"

" Please stop that, Sukis… No name-calling! That's rude! Especially between Sukis! Don't you have manners? What happened to them?"

Cleo gave a stern look to both. She was a stickler for etiquette and good manners.

" She started it!" Both Aya and Keiko said at the same time, facing each other.

Cleo sighed.

"Suki, Aya-chan is right. We are worried about you. "

"That's not what I said at all. I said…"

" We want the best for you. Please, let your beloved sisters help…"

Ayaka shrugged.

"I am fine, Cleo. I understand you mean to help but..."

"You're not since that day, Suki. Fine, I mean." Cleo said.

" Yup, you got your ass kicked by Captain Kuchiki Byakuya. He crushed your confidence to the ground in the most important areas of your life. Cooking and fighting. It would shatter anyone. Not me, of course... But I mean weak people like you." Ayakasuki said trying her best to emulate empathy, which was absolutely not her forte we can all agree.

Keikosuki sent a glare her way. She admired the brief summary version of her life. Was it truly needed? Well no, but who cares really?

" You don't know how mean that man was to me..."

" Aye, but what I know as an academy student is that his military records are spotless. He is a legend, and you attacked him."

"I am a victim. I was provoked."

" Most important of all, he is handsome. Why did you do that?"

"He accused me of poisoning him with my cooking."

"Well, you did and that is a sin."

"It was to relax them."

Cleosuki, who was also born with a real weakness for handsome men, just like every Suki-chan, had to agree wholeheartedly at that last mention. That was a sin.

" That is true, ten consecutive years nominated most handsome captain of the Gotei 13 in the Seireitei News. I cannot believe you didn't recognize him back at his home. He is high-profile."

Well, even though she didn't want to make herself look like a total dunce, Keikosuki admitted readily that she never read any of these articles, because they were way too wordy for her and therefore dull. However she almost choked at what Cleo said next.

" He would be a century or two younger, I'd sent my profile to his people. I would. I'd make a mighty fine Kuchiki wife. " She added, almost blushing at the prospect, holding her plump cheeks.

" Oh no! Not with your track record, Cleo? You'd kill him just like you did all your previous husbands." Aya was blushing even more.

"I smell jealousy from an old maid. They all lacked stamina, not my fault. That's why I prefer them young and inexperienced. I did date a Kuchiki at some point. I don't even know if he is still alive. What was his name? I always lost track of old loves."

" Whose side are you on, Cleo?" Suki snapped.

" Mine is the side of reason. Cleo also knows that you dared cross him not once but twice. What were you thinking? How could you treat such a gorgeous being this way? Have you no shame! Have you forgotten what it is to be a Suki-chan! Remember how I told you to behave! You never listened, Keikosuki!

" I don't need a lecture. My butt still hurts, Aya!"

" Ayaka, please…"

" She fell in a coma… Then she woke up… Then she received a hell butterfly… Then she closed herself off again… in an endless cycle. I have a sense of déjà vu, not you?"

" I just needed time to process…things…"

" What kind of things? Are you gonna wait for the collapse of the world as we know it… Because sorry to burst your pink bubble, it will take a while just like last time."

" Why is she so mean, Cleo? Why is she bothering me? Why is she not at that academy? Don't they strap people in anymore?"

"There is no proof they ever did that to you!"

" I had proof... I think I may have them at some point. That place was horrible! And what's your point exactly?"

"Like I could show my face there now that my sister ruined my reputation. Again."

" I didn't even scratch him. "

"It's worse. What a disgrace!"

Cleo raised her hands again trying to bring peace between those two.

" Two words, Suki. Strawberry pie." She said. "Aya terribly missed yours. We all can agree that mistakes can be made."

" Strawberry pie? Some people just ask nicely…"

It was Keikosuki's turn to be aggravated.

" Why should I grovel for you to start baking again? You lazy bum! You're the Head Pastry Chef of our family restaurant. No sweet recipes come out of that kitchen without you approving it! And you're not doing your job! There is not even any ice cream left in there... How could you? You got us addicted and now you let us down!"

" You ate it all?! Six months supply in one week?"

"I was depressed by your depression."

"I did help just a bit with that. I am sorry. We need sugar, Suki." Cleo said. "We do and you know Daddy won't provide."

" You! I could feed an army for a month with what I left in my kitchen and you ate it all in a week."

"Well, we were worried... for you..." Cleo said.

" Oh! Oh! I want to strangle you both! Oh!"

Keiko took a deep breath, composing herself.

"Alright, I'm going to get to it later I promise…after one last nap… I will cook all night...if I must."

"Also, there is a messenger for you..." Cleosuki added quickly.

" A messenger?"

"First division Messenger. He's been waiting for an hour now."

"Why didn't you start by that?!"

Cleo and Aya looked at each other comically and shrugged.

"Quick! I need to take a bath! I hate you all!"

An hour later, Keikosuki was standing in front of the first division messenger, most dignified in a white kimono, embroidered with gold. Shaking like a leaf, she was almost ready to faint again. She thought she knew what he was about to say and she felt sick to her stomach, just thinking about it.

"I am sorry I made you wait, Messenger. What can I do for you? "

He stayed on his knees.

" Well, Captain Ichinose, I am here to inform… "

" Hey… What did he just say?"

" Aya, don't be rude!"

" But he just called her Captain… There must be a misunderstanding. She said she fail, didn't she?"

" Well, I never said anything about failing."

"I heard you say..."

"I remember saying..."

"He is waiting to deliver a message I wanna hear." Cleosuki cut in. "Can you both shut up!"

Suki grimaced.

" Please go on, Sir. I may die later at the hands of my beloved sisters, but for now, I will listen…"

" The Captain-Commander is pleased to confirm your nomination and invite you to take part in the inaugural celebration the day after tomorrow in the first Squad barracks. There you will be officially introduced in your new function as the Captain of the fifth division. Again, the council of Captains wishes to convey their sincerest congratulations.

" You got in, Suki? You are a captain?!" Cleosuki was bouncing with joy in the background.

"You are a captain… How is it possible with your lack of skills?" Ayaka pondered.

Keikosuki ignored them.

" I thank you very much for… everything. Thank you! Tell the Captain-Commander I will be there."

The messenger nodded respectfully and disappeared.

Keikosuki sighed while Cleo was still dancing like a rockabilly behind her.

"She got in! She is a captain! Oh my god!"

" I can't believe you knew about it and said nothing Keiko-chan. My sister is a captain. Wow!"

"I thought this was all a nightmare…"

" A nightmare… Are you crazy? They choose you the most unqualified person on earth. It is a dream come true!

" For who?"

" I wish Sotaicho had asked for me instead."

" You do not possess bankai."

" Like Suki is any better."

"Suki has circumstances…"

" She is spoiled. The Universe favors her lazy butt. I hate the Universe. I feel I want to go back to bed and never come out. Is it contagious?"

" Suki, are you okay?" Cleo asked, patting Aya's shoulder.

Keikosuki seemed so far away. She was a captain now when she had no desire to be stuck all day with men whose only concern was to wage war. She did not know why Yamamoto-Sama had insisted that among all her remaining sisters she'd be the one to apply when she was the least gifted of his students. All in all, she had not anticipated the fact that she could pass this test. What kind of idiot would pick a Suki-chan, this Suki-chan to lead an entire squad? Sure, she was military trained. Well, she did spend a couple of months in that advanced class, and even though she firmly believed that even that was an unfortunate accident back then. It had to count for something in these people's minds. Sure, she knew a bit about Hakuda. Perhaps, she had a few rare notions of Kido. But to be captains, were you not supposed to be from the military elite, the creme of the crop, the best of the best?

Keikosuki quietly left her sisters in the lobby. The hallway extended before her, a succession of mirrors and tapestries, the only landmarks to be able to navigate yourself in this extravagant maze. The Ichinose family had made a fortune over various endeavors such as the catering business or the fashion manufacture through the centuries to the point that the architecture of their traditional castle rivaled that of the four noble families. Its curved walls resemble giant fans. The family crest of the Ichinose Family was present everywhere from tapestries to wall ornaments.

Her white kimono left a trail of golden glitter on the polished hardwood floors. Her father had 20 daughters from four marriages. The palace had served to shelter its large descendants, comprising a network of 17 independent buildings with approximately 258 rooms, four interconnecting gardens, a lake, a river belt surrounding its outer walls. This Suki honestly lost count of how many corridors, bedrooms, bathrooms, reception rooms there were. She just remembered how much she likes to play hide and seek with her sisters. Nowadays, they were few of them living here. Many of her sisters were married and had left the house. Many of her sisters had left this world entirely. She turned to the right before reaching the end of the corridor. Through the back door, she entered the garden. She took the wooden bridge over the stream and crossed the South-East exterior corridors.

In the garden, the two youngest, two itty bitty specimens of Ichinose, the blond one with green eyes, the other with eyes yellow and brown hair, Chiyakosuki and Chisonosuki were repeating a dance routine. Aikosuki was rehearsing a series of Zanjutsu movements. Keikosuki greeted her with a smile, but the girl ignored her. She was even more rough around the edges than Ayaka-chan. She hadn't learned to be kind to her kin yet, and only chocolate mousse could make her smile on a rainy day. Suki turned on her left again, reached another frail set of stairs and pushed the shoji doors of her father's laboratory. It was here that Tadashi Ichinose spent most of his time inventing his recipes, it was also the sacred place where he kept them in a gigantic kido-locked safe. Suki stopped in front of it, marveling at the intricacies of the locks and bolts. There was no treasure more precious to this Suki-chan than what was in that safe.

\- Ayaka-chan is it you?!

His voice startled her.

\- No. Father, it's me… Keiko…

\- Come in.

She found him behind a chemist mask, his white hair trapped under a white cap. He was perched on a stool since his short stature was not an exaggeration on this Suki's part. He was quite the dwarf. He briefly turned his head towards her, gave her a quick once over with distracted bloodshot pupils, then returned to his preparations. He tasted the strange mixture that bubbled in his cauldron.

"You're not Ayaka-chan."

" I told you. I am Keikosuki."

"Obviously Aiko-chan, your sister is taller."

" Not Aiko… Keiko. Just Keikosuki."

" Emisuki, you used to be more affectionate with your father. You used to run in my arms and screamed at the top of your lungs "daddy, daddy, daddy, pick me up!". You were like glue. I could never get rid of you. My fried pineapple!"

"Nope, that's not me. I was always more the type to say "daddy, daddy, daddy! Let me go play!"

"No, only one was like that, Tami-chan… That was Keiko… Too independent. Too difficult.

" There you are. Guilty."

He looked at her again, taking off his mask, not really convinced.

"Really? Are you sure?"

" Am I sure of who I am? Absolutely!"

" Oh ! I won't lie. You do look like her."

" I don't look like her. I am her!"

"Of course, I recognize my favorite Suki of all. Come give an old man a kiss, Chiyakosuki.

Suki hesitated, but she finally relented. She planted a big kiss on his forehead.

"Let me check your hands…"

She showed him, and he inspected them.

"Perfect nails. Perfect for cooking."

" They will be carrying a zanpakuto at all time unfortunately from now on."She said bitterly.

" Oh! "He scratched his head curiously.

"Yes, father, I am captain. Are you happy now? It's all you and Yamamoto-Sotaicho ever wanted, regardless of which path I wanted to choose for myself. Honestly, it's not even that they chose me. No, what hurts the most is that he did not like my cuisine."

"Who?"

"Kuchiki Byakuya. That arrogant…"

" As a wise man, he probably noticed that you did not have my talent, Chiyakosuki!"

His eyes darken even more, and Suki glared at him.

" Your talent ! I know I have it in me. One day I will be ten times greater than you ever was ! I can be a great chef. I can make you proud. I can redeem myself once and for all. I can create magic just like you !"

" Look who's using big words? Ayaka-chan, talents take works. Skills need to be honed. It's not enough to just be or just want. You have to put in the sacrifice."

"He will fall in love with my cooking whether he likes it or not! You will see it! I will be great someday! One day, you will give me the key to your safe... Your recipes… and I will take them all… I will make them even better. I will make you proud."

He picked up another casserole. He froze.

" I am not sad, today, Aiko-chan. You know why?"

"No."

" Because I know you will make your father proud for once, Suki-Chan."

She leaned respectfully, her hands joined in front of her.

" I will."

**Because of you - Max Legend ( Epic music)**

He paused, looking in the distance as if he either had just remembered something essential or forgotten something important. Suki-chan felt her heart clench and flinched at the slight pain like every time she found herself taking her uninvited stroll in the private garden where Tadashi kept his most secrets thoughts. What had he seen over the centuries? What's left of his younger self under there? Was he like her? Mostly made of doubts.

She watched him as he twirled and glided in front of the counters, expertly hacking and cutting. His knife work was something out of this world, the way he was able to cut and peel leeks and Daikon to create intricate geometric rosette with one precise movement of the wrist. He dropped them on a plate as if they were stars he just picked in the vast sky. The sweet music, the beef made when it hit the immaculate iron griddle… She watched as it sizzles on the grid, leaking his bloody color. He swept the sauce with a spatula swiftly and add it in a broil of carrots, green onions, and herbs on his left. Suki could swear every vegetable could dance in that casserole to the tune of the Kuroge Wagyu, the premium Japanese beef, that kept on singing on the iron. Cooking had not always been a source of joy for this Suki-chan, the road was really long for her to get there. If she should be honest with herself, every time she saw him cook, she was put in front of the realization of the distance she had yet to travel to join him. She wiped away honest tears. Cooking was to find peace. From chaos came order, from raw ingredients came beautiful, tasty, nourishing, love-infused meals. It was a pathway to the natural healing of one soul. Like she said, it wasn't easy to get there, to grasp a sense of these. But now that she had, her body was reacting so fluently to all these emotions as if it spoke directly to her heart. He leaned over at last and put the final touch to his creation.

" I will, father. I promise."

He nodded, his eyes focused back on her.

" My good girl… My very good girl… My precious girl…"

He was staring at her with the warmest eyes. It was like time had stopped for both of them. She was young again, and he had stopped aging too. He also appeared to her much taller.

" Keikosuki, come my darling, have a taste. I noticed a slight limp in your left ankle. I fear you bruise the muscle way into your back entirely. Untreated the pain could spread… That Kuchiki wasn't easy on you, was he? Would you want your daddy to kill him?"

She shook her head negatively, ready to cry. He nodded with a smile.

" The Kuchiki are accomplished warriors… I used to spar with Ginrei Kuchiki's father, Natsuo when we were young and wild. Once we fought over the same woman. I lost. I am happy. My Keikosuki perhaps wouldn't be here if I hadn't lost."

He taped her little nose in amusement. She cried even more.

"Do you ever regret having me?"

"Open up wide, my little sunshine bird."

She did as she was told. Tadashi put the chopsticks in her mouth. The sight, the scent, her senses were on overload. She was blinded by a festival of delicate flavors. It was like she tasted heaven on her tongue. Her heart pumped harder in her chest and her strong reiatsu leaked from her. She felt strong again.

" How does it taste?"

"Like I am alive…"

" Good girl!"

Then it was gone, the air of lucidity in his eyes. The warmth was gone. He wiped his hand in a towel and sighed.

" I have always waited impatiently for the day one of my daughters would properly take over my estate. And I immediately knew it would be you, Natsuki! Of all my girls, you are the one who combines the most qualities. When Yamamoto-Sotaicho asked me for help… I did not hesitate because you are my favorite, Natsuki. You are the only one who can save your sister.

Suki lowered her head.

" Oto-sama, Natsuki is dead. I am Keikosuki. You asked me to take over. It's me that Yamamoto-Sensei asked … I am a captain now."

He turned to her in confusion and shook his head stubbornly.

" Keikosuki... She ran away from the academy to elope. I had to leave my post... She was so... She crushed the family's name with her… Our values… She was lost to us a long time ago…

" Oto-Sama ..."

"Yes, that's it. You may not remember, Suki my dear. But your sister Keiko was just impossible. She dishonored the family and put all our lives in jeopardy in the middle of the civil war. It was pure madness!"

" Oto-sama ..."

" There are days, I admit, I wonder what she has become, Natsuki-chan."

Her tears dripped on the tiles.

" She... has become nothing at all. She's accomplished nothing at all. He is dead. She died too. She is in front of you."

" Is that man really dead?"

Tadashi frowned in confusion.

" You killed him. Don't you remember? You came looking for Keikosuki. She asked for forgiveness, and you forgave her. She asked to go home, and you welcomed her."

She bowed to him, one knee down.

" She asked for forgiveness … You said you forgive her."

He put a hand on her head, staring in the distance.

" I forgave her? Oh yes, maybe ... Yes, I think … I am done for today."

He looked confused for a few seconds and rubbed his temple.

"My suki, you will like the Gotei 13! Natsuki, she was so close to perfection. She was such a good girl!"

" She was a good sister, father."

" Time flies so fast. Hum! In a few centuries, we'll talk about it again, Suki-chan? In a few centuries, I would have completely forgiven you, and you will be able to succeed me. In a few centuries… What is time really?"

* * *

**Renji Abarai**

Captain of the Ninth division

Friend of Kira Izuru and Rukia Kuchiki.

By settling in paradise, he thinks he irritated the angels.

* * *

Renji coughed in front of his mirror to give himself a serious countenance.

" Thank you… for accepting me among you… No, that's lame. "

Renji cursed his hoarse unrefined voice and his youthful air. He wanted to look bored and displeased like Captain Kuchiki. He looked at the time on the clock. He had to get going, not wanting to be late on his first day. He left his room in the sixth division in a hurry and stumbled luckily on the path of his former captain. Luckily was maybe not the suited word.

"Byakuya-sama..."

The look the noble gave him deterred him from continuing.

" I mean Kuchiki-Taicho. Good morning... I'm late, I know. I was getting ready to escort you, but my haori was delivered late this morning."

Byakuya watched him with the degree of detachment that he saved up for him on rainy days.

" Escort me? It's my lieutenant's duty. Abarai Renji, are you my lieutenant?"

Renji shook his head. Byakuya glanced at him condescendingly before heading off again without a word. At least things had not changed. Kuchiki was not the one who was going to make things easier for him. Arriving in front of the doors of the first division, Renji found Hisagi, leaning nonchalantly against the wall. Hisagi changed position immediately when he saw him.

The two men stared awkwardly at each other. Hisagi stared at him from head to toe. Renji looked pretty good in his long-sleeved captain's coat. Strike that down, he looked horrible, much like a pineapple wrapped in a white shroud. Renji Abarai was the first captain the Haori did not suit.

They let the new captain of the third division a young woman with fuchsia eyes pass. She went on with only one polite nod. After three minutes of finding themselves stupid, standing like idiots, they both burst out laughing. Hisagi put an arm around his new captain to congratulate him. They began to hum like two drunk out of a bar in the Rukon district. Oh, it was good to be understood finally!

Another woman walked past them with a quick "sashiburi" before they reached the door of the council chamber.

"Renji, I mean ... Taicho, do you think it's the woman who challenged Captain Kuchiki during her exam?"

" Yes, if I remember correctly. Man, even I was out of it. I heard it was Kyouraku who intervened before Captain Kuchiki triggered his bankai. Can you imagine the scene?"

Noticing the unusual length of the veil of her black Kimono, Renji and Shuhei tilted their heads to the side, definitely puzzled. She was barely gone through the door that they rushed in after her, out of curiosity. The Gotei 13 was getting back to its glorious splendor. Shunsui stopped chatting with Ukitake and Unohana long enough to greet the arrival of the newcomers. Suki Ichinose stopped next to them and Renji and Hisagi were happy to join. In a matter of minutes, they were all chatting amicably as if they were long lost friends. Her uniform looked almost in every aspect like that of a shinigami with some exception. She was not wearing the standard hakama and had retained her taste for long, heavy and luxurious kimonos. Above all the layers, she had donned her haori. Despite wondering how she could move so gracefully wearing so many thick layers of clothes, Renji thought that she looked absolutely stunning.

As she took her spot, Keikosuki felt the warmth of a negative Reiryoku disturb the joyful atmosphere. She turned to find Byakuya Kuchiki behind her. He deliberately ignored her and greeted every captain but her. In a spirit of contradiction, Suki-chan decided to stand in front of him much to the delight of Shunsui on her left, who didn't waste this opportunity of complimenting her. The swift intervention of his lieutenant, Nanao Ise, helped avoid the most awkward situation.

Renji settled naturally to Byakuya's right. The nobleman continued to ignore him royally, looking deeply annoyed by their proximity. But looking on more closely, Byakuya did not seem so much annoyed by his presence as by that of the mysterious Captain of the Fifth Division. The two stared each other down as if they were in one of the westerns that went on the television in the World of the Living. Kira entered the room and stood behind Manatsu Dengeki. The young woman greeted him politely. His reply was equally cool. The blond kept his eyes on the door.

Leaning on his cane, Yamamoto trotted towards his commanding seat slowly. The thirteen captains lined up. The doors of the council chamber closed with a sharp blow.

"You all know what brings us together today. After many trials, the Gotei 13 is ready to be reborn from the ashes of an old era. It is time to start another chapter, with the ambition of not letting what happened a couple of months ago happen again. Fifteen days ago, we submitted a list of applicants to the aptitude test to determine which one was suitable enough to fill up the void left by the defection of the previous captains. Three nominees out of five met our requirements. We found their personality correct and their aptitudes remarkable enough."

At his words, Renji saw Captain Ichinose smile politely. Captain Kuchiki remained impassive. But Renji swore he saw one of his eyebrows bend in displeasure. The young man almost choked on the spot. He coughed loudly, increasing Captain Kuchiki's irritation besides him.

" So it is with great honor that I introduce you today to our new captains:

Manatsu Dengeki, captain of the third division, vice-captain Kira Izuru.

Keikosuki Ichinose, Captain of the fifth division, vice-captain Hinamori Momo.

Renji Abarai, Captain of the ninth division, vice-captain Hisagi Shuhei. Effective immediately they will move to their barracks."

The sun was setting on the Seireitei. His hands behind his neck, Renji sighed, swaying on his captain's chair in his brand-new albeit desperately empty office. Shuhei and Sajin Komamura had cleared Tōsen's office, a couple of days after the battle of Karakura. Renji, who had never accumulated a lot of belongings, had only arrived with two boxes. One of them contained all his pair of sunglasses which had been very easy to store in the first drawer of his office, the other box, a bunch of clothes and an old sepia picture of Rukia and the old boys.

"It was rather boring. I don't know. I expected it to be more fun."

Hisagi frowned.

"I've never seen captains' meetings like places where fun things happened."

"You saw the glares that Kuchiki-Taicho and Ichinose-Taicho launched at each other."

"Yes, it was rather sad."

"Huh! That was funny! It was the only funny thing in the whole meeting!"

Hisagi continued to correct the articles of Seireitei Communications.

" I don't think it was the goal, Taicho."

Renji paused. Taicho? He was still surprised every time someone used the honorific.

" Something isn't right. Captain Kuchiki is usually so cold. She really wormed her way under his skin. I like her already."

" I thought it was more Captain Hitsugaya's area of expertise. Or even the new Dengeki captain! She was also quite cool."

"No, no, Kuchiki-Taicho is usually all detached and indifferent. I only know of two people capable of provoking his fury: Ichigo and Yachiru-fukutaicho, but the latter dig tunnels in his mansion. I'd be pissed off too in his stead… If I had a manor that is! I wonder what happened?

"Undoubtedly it must have everything to do with what happened at the exam."

But Renji who was fond of gossips —He was not friends with Matsumoto for nothing— he couldn't let it go.

"There is more Shuhei. I wonder what is at the origin of this whole misunderstanding! I will ask Rukia if she knows more. I mean honestly who would be crazy enough to attack Byakuya Kuchiki?

Hisagi looked up at his captain.

"Other than me ... and Ichigo Kurosaki of course."

"At least he was not too brutal with her! She seemed frail enough as it is but the guys in the eleventh squad said that her reiatsu was off the roof ! They actually couldn't shut up about it! Zaraki is particularly obsessed with her!"

" Oh and Nanao said that Kuchiki-Taicho completely lost it there and if Kyouraku had not held his arm, he would have used his bankai. We all know he only uses his bankai on very rare occasions. I would even say that he uses his bankai only when the occasion is truly special."

" Like against you."

"Yeah. But I'm a very special guy, you'll agree."

" Ichinose-Taicho seemed very friendly. After the gathering, she delivered basket custom-filled with pastries to every division. Kira also told me that he found her to Hinamori's bedside this morning.

"Damn! I knew I had forgotten something."

" I have already sent a bouquet of flowers in your name and that of the division."

Renji sighed.

"Cool! Thanks, dude !"

" It's my job, Taicho! I will ask you to sign the forms 210 to 246. Please, can you also approve the Seireitei communications articles for the next issue, Taicho? We should definitely put the three new captains on the cover.

Renji turned his chair on his base before resting his feet on the table.

" Kira, it's been a long time since I spoke to him that one. How is he doing?"

"Just sign here and there."

Shuhei handed him the form to sign, which Renji did without so much as giving it a look. Shuhei was momentarily overwhelmed because after spending years serving under Kaname, he'd never felt more understood and his intentions made more clear than now. It was a bittersweet feeling. He knew it wasn't just an oversight on his part, they've been friends too long for that. Renji trusted him and that was huge. They were going to be just fine here.

"He is okay. I think the transition is a slow process for him. He told me at the last meeting of the vice-captains that there has been a surge in new candidacies and that he intends to recruit from the new promotion of the academy with the approval of whoever they choose to fill in the position of captain. I won't lie. I've seen him better and I think it has been hard on him the most. He needs some kind of closure. I'm sure he won't probably get it with the verdict coming. But I understand he is worried."

Renji was reading the cartoon page of the Sereitei News. Written by a certain Hanatarō Yamada, from the fourth division, he was surprised how funny it was... and naughty... He didn't know this side of him.

"Hum?"

"Will it be returned soon? The verdict?"

Renji sighed again, staring at the ceiling.

"Yes. Sotaicho gave us extra time to review the files. Neither Dengeki-Taicho nor Ichinose-Taicho really knew about the situation during the war. But in a couple of days, the vote will take place. I don't think it's going to play in Gin's favor."

" You think ?"

"I do not really believe in the clemency of the Sotaicho on the subject. For my part, I have no scruples after what he did to Rukia. Yet today, Ukitake-Taicho made a good plea for Ichimaru, and he made some good points. It put some stuff in perspective. But really, it all sucks. I hate executions."

* * *

Next chapter =Breach of trust


	10. Breach of Trust

* * *

**Hinamori Momo**

Lieutenant of the Fifth Division formerly under the orders of Aizen Sousuke

Friends with Hitsugaya Tōshirō and Kira Izuru

Still thinks that her soulmate wears glasses, youth brings lousy taste!

* * *

To wake up.

For days, trapped in a weakened body, Hinamori Momo had wished to wake up. For days, all she had been able to do was open her eyelids, and that was on the good days. Her eyelashes, pasted to her eyelids by the glue of her tears, quivered in the darkness of a room in the clinic.

She wanted to wake up.

But...

Dealing with the harsh reality of a world Aizen-Taicho would no longer be part of, and where Momo would probably not find her place made her anxious. The painful truth was that she was unable to move forward and was a prisoner of a labyrinth of illusions. There was not a wall in her mind that had not been turned into a one-way mirror. She could only observe the person acting in her stead.

She could not recognize herself.

Break the spell.

Leave the illusions behind.

Move forward.

What happened to her?

She no longer felt her heartbeat.

Then her heart was bursting in her chest after a while.

She no longer felt her heartbeat.

Then the heart, this precious thing, beat again violently in his chest.

Again and again...

Imprisoned in a same cycle.

Why?

She yelled for days at Aizen's motionless figure, his back to her.

She did not remember her own name.

She barely remembered one thing about herself.

She only remembered him.

Why?

She screamed for days and days at Shiro-chan's motionless figure. Somehow, she had turned on him.

For days ...

Prisoner ...

Days without seeing the light of day ...

Just her...

Her ghosts ...

Her mistakes ...

Her naivety ...

Her youth...

Unable...

To break...

The circle...

Like someone who had lived through a thousand deaths ...

Like someone waiting for reincarnation ...

How many more times must her heart die?

She had waited ...

Hoping that this day would be the last.

Hoping to put an end to all her unfinished thoughts.

Hoping that this void will swallow them up.

Then...

Once upon a time...

Wishes do come true.

One day, Momo heard that voice. She was no longer entirely alone in her head. It was not Kira-Kun's quavering and monotonous voice, and it was also not the deep, hoarse voice of Shiro-Chan. It was a new sound ... High and fluty... The warm vibrations caused the fall of one-third of the glass walls that surrounded her psyché. How? A wave of powerful reiatsu enveloped her. It smelled like burnt caramel. Sweet but a tinge bitter. Locked in her prison of crystal, Momo heard someone call her.

"Momo Hinamori?"

A second wall fell, and fragments of her anguish broke on the ground at her feet. Her blood turned cold. Her eyelids quivered and struggled against gravity.

Such a presence ...

"Momo Hinamori? I'm your new captain. Suki. Suki Ichinose."

She struggled with all her strength, but nothing helped.

"I know you want to wake up, Hinamori-san. But don't try to open your eyes, regain your strength. Momo, let's get to know each other."

Momo remained motionless in her frozen palace, a delicious smell of fresh watermelon floated in the air. The activity of her eyelids doubled. She sighed. A new captain? Already? Where was Aizen-Taicho? Was he dead?

**The first day.**

"My whole name is Keikosuki. But I only wear it in the presence of my sisters because they are all Suki-chan and it is the only way to differentiate ourselves. Well, I have 20 sisters. The eldest, Miyukisuki, is already a great-great-grandmother, and she knew old Yamamoto-Sensei when his beard was not quite this white. I swear on the Spirit King, it's true. I also have 4 mothers: Yume, Leonor, Natsume, and Midori. Two of them are infinitely older than the construction of the Senzaikyū and they all love to sew. Leonor is a crybaby. She couldn't let go of my hands just a couple of days ago when I told her I was elected captain. Natsume is more of a warrior. She graduated from the academy and used Kido to discipline us when we were kids. She hates losing at chess. Midori is a blonde, but she can cook a storm. Out of the four, she is the best cook. I love her tamago. There are simple and light on a stomach, but so fulfilling. And there is Yume; she hates most men, especially the short one. She is incredibly sharp, and you can talk about almost anything with her. She always had a thoughtful answer to one's problem. Guess from which belly I came out of on a beautiful March morning? They are the incredible minds behind our Home accessory brand. But more importantly, they are the amazing seamstresses behind our famous kimono line. You must have heard of it. Here, they made my new captain uniform. It's perfect for me. I usually hates Black but this is so fashionable how can I complain! I love Kimonos! It's so comfortable! Do you like Kimonos? If it were up to me all the women in the division would wear one every Friday. I always thought it was the perfect day to wear kimonos. "

Momo remained pensive. She had heard of Ichinose's Kimonos. It was said to be cut and tailor-made in the most precious fabrics. It cost a fortune in the Rukongai. To own one would satisfy a dream of hers.

On the other hand, she was not sure changing the dress code of the Fifth Division was a good thing. Aizen-Taicho would find this probably futile. He had never been a vain man. He treated everyone the same regardless of gender. No, he would not have approved.

**The second day.**

"It's done! I ordered Kimonos for all the girls in our division! I decided that we can all get dressed up on Friday! It will be very fun! This will keep my mothers busy for the coming months! They are always quite depressed when one of us leaves the nest ... So, it is perfect. You will get the first one, obviously. You just have to recover, Hinamori-chan! You will be so pretty in kimono! Hmm ... By the way, I was born on March 21st. My favorite season is summer. I am AB positive. I hate the color black but you already knew that. I love red! I love everything that shines! I can play the piano and cello. I had 25 suitors, 2 fiances and ... once I was married... That's not a lot. That's actually quite ridiculous a number! I can't even come close to compare with my sister Cleosuki who had 415 conquests, 785 requests for weddings and 8 weddings. She is a great romantic. She was born with an iron constitution and always manages to survive her husbands. I guess it's a little sad when you think about it. But Cleo is never sad. She is very strong. I love all my sisters, even Aiko-chan, yet she is a piece of work. Oh, and Ayaka is studying at the academy... I guess she always wanted to be a Shinigami like our father. Me, I never like studying much. I think that's why Yamamoto-Sensei does not like me very much! He had rebuked every suggestion I made to make this place livelier, and he refuses to let me open a cooking school in the Seireitei! There is a club for Calligraphy lover, it's not fair! Every shinigami should know how to cook! It's important! Oh, Hinamori-chan! That reminds me! A long time ago, to escape my Kido lessons, I accidentally fell into an amphora filled with Sake. I almost drowned on that day. When I came out I was so drunk I kept laughing for a day. That's probably why he hates me! Ha! Ha! Ha! When I think back, Yamamoto-Sensei was furious! I was sick for a week. I cannot bear the sight of alcohol since then, that goes without saying! Oh, I'll cook some raspberry recipes tomorrow! I wished we could go pick them up together! I know the perfect place! Oh, I'm off! Bye-bye, Hinamori-chan!"

Momo was stunned. She barely had time to absorb the flow of information that Ichinose-Dono was already passing to another subject. Ichinose-Dono? Wait?! Ichinose-Do ... 25 Suitors? Four fiancés? Really? Married once...

**Third day.**

"I could cook for hours. But people do not have an appetite nowadays. Girls pay attention to their diet. Men only think of killing hollows! Ah! It's so sad! However, there is a man whose appetite I found refreshing! Zaraki-Taicho! I also find him quite attractive! But he always wants us to fight and really ... he is a little scary! I'm sure he's a good person though. But all the stories that are told about him ... Brrr! But Yachi-Hime is so lovely! Someone who can raise such an adorable human being can only be good, right? On soup days... Yeah, forgot to tell you... I made it so we have soup days now... Everybody must have soup days... It makes us healthier. Back to Yachi-hime, on soup days, she drops fishes in front of our doors! I know it's her because she leaves behind her a clear signature, a reiatsu terribly sweet and shiny like glitter! Oh ! I have never seen koi so big! With five fishes, I can make soup for at least four divisions. I offered this stupid Captain Kuchiki some, but he was unpleasant as usual! I am trying my very best with that man! But he is horrible! I heard that his young wife is dead! That's why he was searching for another wife the first day we met, Abarai-Taicho told me. He's one of your friends, Momo, is he not? He is so nice! I hope we can become friends too. Hum! I can understand that this loss affected Kuchiki-Taicho a lot, but it is no reason to be obnoxious! Ukitake-Taicho, on the other hand, said he really appreciated my attention. He also said that in his division they were always waiting for the meals I sent. He said they were the highlights of their days!"

She paused seemingly musing.

What an angel! He is so handsome and so kind, and always good company. He is my type. It's a pity he cannot fully enjoy my dishes with his sickness! Shunsui is also not that bad but he has declared his love to all my elders before me, and that's creepy. I mean he dated almost all of them from Emisuki to Cleosuki. He is a womanizer and an incorrigible flirt! I could never take him seriously. But he is really great and funny! Oh! This makes me think! This afternoon, there is the meeting of the Shinigami Women's Association. I am a little intimidated! Nanao Ise is very intimidating. I made rainbow meringues for the president! It's a shame that you're not up to it yet. We'd go together!"

Holding her knees against her chest, Momo blushed. Yes, it was a pity, Ichinose-Dono.

**The Fourth Day.**

"Hey, Hinamori-chan, what's your zanpakutō's name? Mine is called Persephone. It's a boy if you ask the question? It surprises everyone when I announce it. But the manifestation of my Zanpakutō is definitely male. He is very elegant and adores everything that shines. He also loves when I say that. It's because he is so willful and stubborn. On top of all that he is a glutton. He only thinks of food. It's quite ridiculous. This morning, for example, I had all the trouble in the world to wake him up before lunch during junior training; as a result, I made a fool of myself in front of all the recruits! Persephone can be quite temperamental. Doesn't like when I said that. The first time he appeared to me, he asked me what my favorite dish was? It took fifteen years to answer. Imagine, there are so many good things in Soul Society. How to choose one. It would be cruel for all the other good dishes!"

Momo could not help but burst out laughing.

**The Fifth Day.**

"Today, with all the division, we made ice cream. Everybody was tasked with creating their own favorite flavor. It was amazing. I was really impressed by a few of them. Our fellow soldiers can be truly creative. For my part I made my obsession of the moment, Cherry blossom! It's excellent for the complexion. I send a message to Captain Hitsugaya you know for help in the ice department he is supposed to be the expert... but he was busy today. He is terribly worried about you. I find him here every morning with Kira-fukutaicho."

Shiro-chan? Kira-Kun? Captain Ichinose, Shiro-chan comes to see me every day? Momo thought. She had to pay more attention.

"There is also the welfare of his vice-captain who weighs on his mind! What a pretty young woman! She is gorgeous! She is so tall... and her hair is radiant... She is amazing like a goddess. I'm so jealous. I wanna know Rangiku-san! I mean you're very pretty too, Hinamori-chan! I wanna know all of you. I'm so glad there are so many women out there. It kinda helped. The meeting of the association of shinigami women, for example, was great. It felt like home. Still, Nanao Ise is scary. Ah! Tomorrow, I'm going to make tempura for everyone and sweet soufflé, my invention! It's made with mango! Ah yes, there is something I wanted to tell you! Kuchiki-Taicho, that grumpy old man, hates ice cream! I have to note it somewhere! He was once again so unpleasant! He's a cranky old man, is he not? It's a pity that my Vice-Captain is not here to defend me. Oh, la la la! Hinamori-Chan! I am late. I have a captain meeting. See you tomorrow, rest well. "

**The sixth day.**

"Today I want to talk about you, Hinamori-chan. I was told a bit of your story."

Hinamori bowed her head and cried silently. Momo felt a soft hand wipe her tears for her.

"Oh do not cry, Hinamori-chan! Your story is pretty beautiful even though it's unfortunate. "

Momo shook her head. She had been too naive. When one was young, naivety led to the guillotine. She knew it, she had understood even before the battle. But she had not grown an inch ... So ... She had no heart now as a result.

"Naivety leads to death by guillotine, Momo. It's what you think? I also happen to think so. When one is young, nothing is worth believing in it. Nothing is worth anything anyway. Like you, I was led to the scaffold by the one I trusted most. It is a strange confession to make. I usually tried to avoid remembering that time. But I wanted to share with you... You are not alone."

Momo's eyes widened in surprise from where she sat in the cell. She thought of Captain Aizen's warm hands. She thought about Kyouka Suigetsu, his Zanpakutō, carving her heart again and again. Then to Hyourinmaru doing the same thing again and again ... If only Ichinose-Dono ... Ichinose-Taicho ... knew ...

"The good news is that we come back. Momo ... We come out ... We grow up. We blossom like a rare flower. Spring always comes back."

Momo heaved a sigh of relief.

" I'll come back to see you tomorrow morning. We'll talk a little more, Hinamori-chan."

Taicho?

**On the Seventh day.**

The next day came very quickly. Ichinose-Taicho had returned as promised. And the scent of watermelon floated again in the air.

"Hitsugaya-taicho told me that you really like watermelon. He told me you had that in common! So, I made an iced mousse for him. I hope it will please him. There is too much sadness between the walls of Seireitei. It floats in the air like poison. War is something terrible. Hey, Hinamori-chan, do you remember when I told you that I was taken to the scaffold? Well, it was wrong."

Momo sighed in disappointment.

"I did not intentionally lie to you, Momo. But in my head ... It was never evident who was leading who ... who was really pulling the strings... I was just like you, blinded by my youth. I was a mere tribute of war ... for him! I was a tool! Just a pawn in a bigger chess game...and it kinda hurt to see myself that way. So every day, it becomes unclear how much of this was my fault... how much I just let happen."

Momo swallowed hard. In her mind too, things were just as hazy. She could not remember who had hurt her the most Hitsugaya-Kun or Aizen-Taicho.

"Momo, to tell you the truth, I think I went there myself. I jump in that abyss because it seemed enticing enough. It seems there I could forget all the things that bothered me. That advanced class I had to take... or the fact daddy was never home... In truth, there was not a day when I did not want to go back there... get used... be a pawn... It felt like I had a purpose. It felt like I was needed. It felt like I had no other value... When everything was finished..."

Her voice broke into a mere whisper.

" I cursed life. I questioned my very existence. I didn't want to be part of this world. I let go of everything. Yes, I locked myself in my room. I fell asleep. "

Oh really? Momo had cried out loudly. She did not get an answer. But a cold hand touched her forehead before taking her hand.

"I slept for years ... decades even... I let my family down. I didn't think about anything else. I just wanted to escape. The sister, who held my hand every day, ran out of strength and died in her turn. Do you understand, Momo? I wasn't there to help. I was too selfish. My closest ally, my friend... She was gone. When I woke up, I regretted having slept all that time. I am ashamed to admit it. I am not a very good captain. I'm not even a very good soldier! If it weren't for Kuchiki-Taicho getting under my skin on that day, I would still be in my kitchen, because I'm not even a tenth of the captain that Aizen was to you all these years. I am not. Even if it was just an illusion, you were happy, Momo. That must count for something. Huh?."

That day the conversation stopped there, and Momo had concentrated all her energy on her fingers. She wanted to hold Ichinose-Taicho's hand back. There was such sadness in her voice. She really felt very close to this sadness. It's as if she could taste it on the tip of her tongue. This sadness was pungent like blood, like Captain Aizen's betrayal. Her tears moistened her cheeks. The next day she had waited for her visit, her eyes wide open. It was Hitsugaya-Kun who showed up instead.

Toshiro froze as he realized that Momo's eyes were opened.

"Momo."

He hesitated on the threshold. Momo was very angry at herself for having erected a wall between them. At that time, she believed she didn't have a choice, in fear their friendship would have gone to dust. She was so full of resentment and so confused. Still, she did not want to wake up like Ichinose-Dono, alone... With regret.

" Hitsugaya-Ta ..."

He almost jumped at the sound of Momo's voice. She noted the dark circles under his eyes, his haggard appearance. He had grown old in a few days ... a few months? How? Why? Even if his feature remained juvenile, his face, marked by anxiety, was ostensibly darkened by the horror of the war. How long had she slept? The little boy who was eating watermelons with her on the porch of his grandmother's house seemed to have disappeared. He was just as damaged as she was.

" Momo. Are you awake? "

She closed her eyes to reopen them as if in a dream. Yes, it seemed like she was awake. With the realization that she had escaped her glass prison, came the realization that she was alive. A puff of air filled her lungs, and she straightened up with a grimace.

" Don't do that! Please, you're still not completely healed. Momo, lie down."

He said that in a stern tone, however, she did not fail to notice the distress in his voice. She nodded and lied down again.

" Hitsugaya-Taicho ..."

Immediately, he turned to her. Despair squeezed Momo Hinamori's new heart.

"You never called me that way, Momo. But I supposed I deserved that." He said.

No, he didn't deserve that, and she wanted to correct her mistake but found herself unable to do it. He got up and made his way toward the door. Stop. She had to hold him back. Call him back. Remember how much Tōshirō loved you and how much you loved him back like a little brother as if he was your flesh and blood.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Hinamori-chan, Hitsugaya-Taicho! I am late!"

Momo Hinamori stared at Suki Ichinose's face for the first time. She remained quiet and lowered her eyes, feeling the redness rising to her cheeks. Suki turned to look at her.

"Oh, Momo, you are awake?" Suki said that in a casual tone as if she wasn't the least bit surprised. She smiled and put her wicker basket on a side table.

" It is all well. I was on my way to share a cup of tea with Ukitake Taicho. But since the latter doesn't know he invited me... in the first place. I think I was destined to stumble upon you two."

Tōshirō wrinkled his forehead.

" I was on my way out, Ichinose-Taicho. I apologize ... Some other time maybe.

Hearing the purpose in Shiro-chan's voice, Momo began to fumble with the sheets nervously.

"I refuse your refusal, Hitsugaya-Taicho. Please, I have tea and fruit tarts made with shortbread biscuits! Nobody is ever hungry around here..."

She showed him her basket with puppy dog's eyes. She even wiped a few crocodile tears.

"I cook and cook ... But no one eats. It is inconceivable. Listen, I come out of the sixth division where I was practically thrown out by their captain. All I want is for my cooking to make somebody happy today. It's so hard to blend in, Hitsugaya-Taicho. Everybody sees me as the fool who challenged the grumpy old man of the sixth division or the one who replaces who you know who... It's a misconception. It's not who I am."

She sniffed painfully, and Toshiro felt really uneasy.

" It's up to Momo. I don't want to intrude on your time together."

"Silly, she is delighted I am sure. Right, Momo?

Momo observed her new Taicho. A wild orchid bouquet and pearls held her hair in a long braid that reached her back. She was so radiant like a crazy person. Momo smiled just as wide and nodded.

"Yes, please stay, Hitsugaya-kun."

"Really?"

"Really."

"That's settled then."

"Well, just a cup but I fear I am not going to be very talkative."

Suki winked at her lieutenant happily. Momo released all the air in her lungs.

" Do not worry I can be talkative for all three. I am so happy! I have heard so much about you! Huh, Momo! This one is so famous, especially among Suki-chans. Oh, I have a question! My sister Ayaka-chan asked me to ask you... She is a fan. Can you make ice cream with your bankai? I really wish you could. That's what I wanted to ask you last time too..."

"I can make ice for sure. Not the tasty kind, I am afraid."

"Oh Shiro-chan, tell her about that time where you froze the lake behind your grandmother's house in the middle of summer, and we all went ice-skating until the sun went down. " Momo said surprising both of them. They turned to her, and she was smiling wide.

"Yes, I had not reached bankai. I was barely aware of my reiatsu."

"We should totally do that again. I mean I can't wait to try that..."

"Do you skate, Ichinose-Taicho?"

"If I skate?! I am known as a cloud rider! I can ride anything as long as we're having a blast."

* * *

**Kira Izuru**

Lieutenant of the third division formerly under the orders of Gin Ichimaru

Friends with Momo Hinamori and Renji Abarai

He is not yet ready to give orders but is no longer willing to silently take them.

* * *

Kira had reached his quota of betrayals and deceptions for at least another couple of centuries. Within a year, two captains had succeeded each other at the head of the Third Division, and both had been traitors. In the first case, as he had explained to the captain of the Jubantai, he had been prepared by the traitor himself. In the second case, he had also been in some ways since his experience with the first had led him to question more critically the behavior of his superiors.

He did not quit his gloomy air throughout the training of the recruits. They had received an influx from the academy the week before. At his request, all the senior officers had agreed to take under their wings three to five recruits among the batch of eighty-five. The small group system worked well if he were to judge their rapid progress in group coordination.

Hands behind his back, he appreciated the repetition of Zanjutsu's movements. Footsteps echoed behind him. Manatsu Dengeki was wise enough to keep her distance. A breeze swept her black hair in front of her fuchsia eyes. She did not take her eyes off the scene below the deck.

"It's been over a week since I've been here. I'm still waiting for you to speak to me, Izuru-Fukutaicho."

Kira glanced briefly in her direction. A strong spiritual pressure emanated from the new captain, energy she seemed to keep perfectly under control. In her fuchsia eyes, he did not distinguish any malice. Beyond a sense of honor and relative duty, there was also detachment. Kira watched her for a long time without saying anything.

" I appreciated the changes you made to the division in the absence of a captain. They were very productive changes."

He still did not react. As detached as that woman's actions might seem to an innocent bystander, to Kira, her only purpose was to provoke a confrontation of sorts. He did not want to indulge her.

" I am going through the investigation report on Gin Ichimaru. It is long and really overwhelming. Terribly overwhelming! I wish I had my lieutenant to walk me through it since I am due to give my vote in a couple of days. Time is running out."

He said nothing.

" I noticed that Captain Hitsugaya added some positive notes about Gin Ichimaru's relationship with his division at your request."

Kira finally turned to face her."

"Captain Ichimaru was appreciated by his men. I see no point in denying the facts."

"Facts, you say. He betrayed the Gotei 13. He killed or attempted to kill countless soldiers. He conspired to destroy us. He helped Aizen dispatched the Vizards Captain among which I have a few friends. So facts, you say."

Kira said nothing, his gaze cold and uncompromising. Manatsu was the first to yield. She sighed.

" Listen, I understand that my arrival has not been easy to deal with. To have a traitor as captain, I don't dare to imagine. To house two is unimaginable and unacceptable. That would never have happened in my old unit."

Feigning his indifference, Kira turned his back on her once more, watching his troop.

Manatsu folded her arms against her chest, losing patience.

" Alright, this transition can happen in two ways... There is the gentle way, and there is the other ... I can find you a replacement any day, Izuru-fukutaicho. I must be able to know that I can count on you to have my back. That is what it means to be my lieutenant."

He tilted his head to the sides and glanced in her direction. He spoke again, but this time he did not speak to her sole benefit. He spoke loud and clear his answer.

"Sanbantai !"

The whole division stopped its maneuvers immediately. He lowered his head towards the 200 men below. Manatsu opened her eyes in surprise.

" Our new captain wonders why it seemed that our division is the favorite division for all those who have a grudge against Soul Society? It must feel like this from an outsider's point of view." He said disdainfully.

Some officers sneered.

" It seems we are the squad of traitors! "

Some booed in response. Kira did not look away from Dengeki.

"It seems that our motivation may be questioned! That our honor may be tainted! "

The soldiers resumed their position.

" That our sincerity could be challenged ?! What do we answer? "

Their fists split the air unanimously. Hands behind his back, Kira stared back at Manatsu Dengeki. He was no longer in a conciliating mood. His friendship was no longer for sale. He already had enough friends. He no longer offered his trust. He no longer had the patience to wait to be betrayed again.

"My whole life is devoted to the third squad. I have chosen to be here. I make this choice every day just like all the people here. You ask me if you can count on my support when it becomes clear that there is nothing I wouldn't do for my squad and all my brothers in arms. You ask for proof of loyalty when you still have to show your allegiance, Captain. "

He left the bridge, leaving her behind. Fists clenched, she turned her head toward the garrison below. Her fuchsia eyes flew over the poisoned legacy that Gin Ichimaru left her. She almost wanted to grunt.

* * *

Next chapter = Pride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: For the purpose of this story, I made a choice to consider canon almost everything that happens in the anime, shinigami golden bonus, movies and manga till the Deicide arc in the manga ( hence the 'division of traitors' comment). I am not saying I will respect everything to the letter because it's a bit of a joyous mess. But I try to make some of it work for characterization purposes. Stay tuned for those easter eggs moment. ^_^ Thanks everyone for leaving a sign of appreciation. I'm grateful for every review and kudos.


	11. Pride

* * *

**Rukia Kuchiki**

Friends with Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai

Sister of Kuchiki Byakuya

This star has gone one step towards the Moon.

* * *

Rukia Kuchiki knocked on the door of the Rokubantai captain's office. For a few minutes, she admired the insignia of the sixth division. A black camellia preceded the coat of arms of the Kuchiki family. She brushed the two engravings with the tip of the index finger.

" Come in, Rukia!"

The petite shinigami pushed open the door and took a few timid steps inside the office of the sixth division captain. The atmosphere was austere, mysterious, and a bit stuffy. Blinds, without any creases, filtered the daylight. The low lighting was used to highlight certain elements of the room, its massive desk in varnished noble wood, its shelves of antiques and rare books, another tapestry with the coat of arms of the family. The desk alone was impressive. As it stood near the window, far away from the door, it reinforced the idea that the room was huge. There was no portrait of Hisana anywhere. In fact, there was no personal touch in the decoration. Nothing was out of place. Everything was aligned with a purpose.

" I hope I'm not bothering you, Nii-Sama?"

He turned his head briefly to her and left his reading spot under the window.

"No, you don't usually come to my office in the sixth division so I know that if you asked to meet here, it must be important."

Rukia observed him for a moment before answering. She found him a bit different, but she was unable to say in what way. Lately, he had been a bit more grouchy than usual. His left eyebrow was constantly contracted. He was ostensibly tense, and Rukia wondered if it was his hypothetical remarriage that caused him all these frustrations.

She approached his desk and finally noticed the pastry boxes. How could she not see it earlier? There were everywhere, on the coffee table, on the shelves, monopolizing a corner of the desk, boxes of all sizes, colors, and shapes. Someone went a bit overboard.

A light breeze slammed the door shut behind her and Rukia almost jumped. Byakuya looked up at her, inquiring. He noted her confusion and offered a short explanation for the clutter.

" Rikichi is going to throw everything down at the end of the day. Take a seat."

On her tiptoe, Rukia leaned over the desk.

" It's signed with the stamp of the fifth division. I recognize it. Ichinose-Taicho also sends sweets to Ukitake-Taicho every day. However, unlike you, Taicho eats them or offers them."

" Do not pay attention, that woman is mentally unstable," He simply told her."It would be surprising if she sticks around more than a year. I bet she'd surprise everyone including herself."

He immediately went back to his reading. He probably thought he had said too much. He did. Byakuya was usually practical in all aspects of life. It was not like him to pass judgment on his colleagues, and Rukia had never seen him speak ill of the other captains, even when Zaraki Kenpachi was doing everything to lure him into a fight. Rukia looked down again, a box isolated from the rest caught her attention. Unlike the others, it had been opened. Inside, there was taiyaki in the shape of "Wakame Ambassador," his brother's favorite biscuits. She barely touched a biscuit that Byakuya lifted the box into the air, closed it and put it on the discard pile.

" We shouldn't play into that woman's game, Rukia. She only does this to bother me."

" On the contrary, it seems to me that Ichinose-Taicho's behavior is a great source of irritation for Nii-Sama."

A source of irritation? Humpf! This would presume that the young woman had some influence on his moods, which was not the case. His face regained its neutral air. It was not good for a Kuchiki to be read like an open book. He went around his desk again.

" Forget it! This frivolous creature thinks she can have fun at my expense. When she realized, she can't bend me to her will. She will calm down."

He said that very seriously, looking at her straight. The young woman swallowed hard. It was all her fault. It all began yesterday when she visited Renji in his division. He had suggested that they went for a walk while Hisagi corrected the last articles of Seireitei news before sending them to print. Renji had learned it the hard way. One should avoid at all cost being on Hisagi-fukutaicho's path in the hours before printing at the risk of losing his own sanity. On the way back, they stumbled on Ichinose-Taicho in front of the entrance of the sixth division about to burst into tears ... What happened was entirely not premeditated on her part... She said too much.

" I'm afraid it's my fault. I was with Renji, I mean Abarai-Taicho. We crossed path with Ichinose-Taicho, and we talked. Renji wanted to hear about her lieutenant, Momo Hinamori. One thing leading to another, Ichinose-Taicho asked me what Nii-Sama preferred with his tea ..."

He knew it. That woman did not respect anything. To think she would go so low as to harass his kin. Displaying an artificial mask of serenity, Byakuya turned his back to Rukia and pretended to be absorbed in reading.

"Why did you want to see me, Rukia? "

Rukia was perplexed for a moment.

Then, her face lit up at her recollection.

" Oh right! Nii-Sama, I managed to get a seat! I do not know yet which one. Ukitake-Taicho promised to keep me informed as soon as he made a decision."

" I know. I saw Ukitake yesterday."

Byakuya sat down in his chair and grabbed a pile of recruiting forms that he began to sift through meticulously. If Renji had already made the first selection before his departure, he still had to give his final approval. His method was simple. He discarded all the forms that contained a spelling mistake or erasure, his reasoning being that if these young people could not respect the main rules of grammar, they were not going to respect his authority. Thus, he approved less than a third of the applicants and refused all the rest. He didn't lose any underlings during the war. So, he didn't have much of a need. He frowned upon another poorly written copy. He was also going to reject all those with ugly writing for that matter!

It's not even that Rukia expected him to bounce with joy. Just thinking about it now, she wanted to laugh at how silly and ridiculous that could be. Nevertheless, they had spent a great deal of time together lately. Nii-Sama and Renji were the closest things resembling a family for the young woman. Just after talking to her captain, Nii-Sama was the first person she had wanted to share this news with. But of course, when you compare Nii-Sama's career with hers, this progress seemed tiny and insignificant. Rukia lowered her head, ashamed for making him waste his time.

"I wanted to thank Nii-Sama for having taught me so much."

"You still have to learn!" He snapped, carefully dipping his pen into the inkwell.

Cheeks red with embarrassment, Rukia bowed her hands on her lap.

" I will keep working hard, Nii-Sama! "

He continued his administrative duties for a few minutes.

Still leaning over, Rukia wondered if she should leave him to his work.

"What would you say if I invited you to join the Sixth Division?" The young woman raised her head immediately to be sure she heard him right.

"Nii-Sama?"

"Sure, here we have great respect for rules and laws. I would be uncompromising about it. But you would also have a seat and responsibilities ... More responsibilities. I talked to Ukitake about it. The idea did not really please him. I do not think he really wants to let you go, but it's up to you. "

Oh! Rukia did not know what to say. That was the last thing she expected to hear from Nii-Sama. After all the trouble she might have caused him ... Since she had met Ichigo, it seemed to Rukia that she had only disobeyed orders after orders. But Nii-Sama never said anything lightly. He'd never have made this suggestion if he did not consider her worthy of such an honor. The sixth division was one of the most popular and elite divisions of the Gotei.

"Nii-Sama ... Thank you! " She said.

She could not speak for several minutes, during which Byakuya continued his selection as if nothing had happened. She bowed again, her eyes hidden behind her bangs.

"I ... I have to ... I have to refuse though."

She almost cringed at how shaky her voice sounded.

This stopped the movement of his hand on the sheet of paper for a few seconds.

" I'm sorry, Nii-Sama. I am obviously extremely grateful. That Nii-Sama deems me worthy of integrating his division is an incomparable honor! But... But I want ... I WANT TO BE STRONGER! "

Rukia kept her head down. She felt Byakuya's inquisitive gaze land on her. She decided to be as honest as possible. Sincerity had served them well these past few months. She would not go so far as to say that they were close. It would be presumptuous when she knew that there were so many subjects that remained untouched and unapproachable. But after spending forty years avoiding any form of communication, it was an unexpected and refreshing change. She did not want to miss these moments for anything in the world.

" I know it's a small accomplishment in the grand scheme of things. Besides, it is very likely that I don't get a prestigious seat in the thirteenth division. But there, I'm not crushed by the weight of my name. Don't get me wrong. I uphold all the Kuchiki's value with my life. But there, I am useful. Nii-Sama... I want to become stronger so that one day I can be worthy of belonging to the Kuchiki clan. Nii-Sama did so much for me, I really want him to be proud of me."

Byakuya looked at Rukia carefully. He did not take the time to deliberate.

" Very well, Rukia."

She looked up at him, looking for any trace of anger or irritation on his face. For the first time since she entered the office, Rukia saw no particular emotion attached to his features. Quietly, Byakuya just opened the last drawer of his desk and placed a stuffed rabbit under Rukia's nose. It had a ridiculously pink satin ribbon tied around its neck. Her violet eyes widened with surprise. It was the cutest, prettiest, most awesome thing she'd ever seen. Her eyes were filled with stars, and she immediately lost her composure. How did he discover her weakness? Who cares? It was too cute!

"That's ... Is it for me?" she asked softly.

"Rukia, I have no affinity with rabbits even stuffed ones."

He said one eyebrow higher than the other. He pretended to be upset that she might imply that the leader of the Kuchiki clan could have entered a toy shop and bought himself such a futile and uninteresting object. Rukia squeezed the rabbit against her tight and she gave a long sigh of satisfaction. The shadow of a crooked smile disturbed Byakuya's expression.

" Thank you Nii-Sama, I love it!

She bowed again and tried to regain some form of stoicism.

"Thank you." He nodded and pointed to the door with the authority that characterized him.

"You are free to go now, Rukia."

" Nii-Sama?"

He looked up in her direction again.

"Perhaps you should speak to Ichinose-Taicho in person. It will surely stop if you expressly request it. Ichinose-Taicho may be a little too enthusiastic at times, but I'm sure she means well. She will listen to reason."

* * *

**Kuchiki Byakuya**

Captain of the sixth division

Head of the Kuchiki clan

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Reason is the first thing that deserted the Moon as soon as she sees the first lights of the Sun.

* * *

When Rukia left, Byakuya could not help but think about Ichigo Kurosaki. Ichigo may have been very high on the list of people he would gladly watch perished under the assault of Senbonzakura, he could never forget the life lesson that the substitute shinigami had tattooed in his flesh with the help of his zanpakutō. He had not only questioned his attitude towards Rukia but turned upside down his whole set of values. What he had already begun to realize when Renji, his vice-captain, confronted his sword, made perfect sense when he fought Ichigo Kurosaki. Water run under the bridge, and they all got to go back to their lives.

Still, he was grateful for this. That brat had managed to save Rukia, save his friend, save the world, sacrifice his powers and make Rukia cry all in one year. You had to admire that kind of dedication. In the same way, Rukia had changed in contact with Ichigo. She was no longer the one who walked in his shadows, head down. She was tracing her own path. He honestly hadn't seen it coming: her rebuttal. As presumptuous as it seems, he had thought she would jump at the chance to prove her worth. But what Rukia had said afterward had resonated throughout his whole being. She did not want to be crushed under the weight of their last name. He could not deny that the words had streaked his ego. It stung. But he was not about to hold it against Rukia because he knew some truths were more painful than others. Rukia wanted to keep some space to develop fully. Byakuya understood better than anyone what that entails since there was a time he had wished for the same. He married a girl named Hisana. Their union as tumultuous as it was, had allowed him to grow outside of the clan.

Byakuya realized that rushing her introduction in the Gotei 13 or preventing her from becoming a seated officer didn't have the desired effect. Quite the opposite, she did not feel privileged but brimmed. So, it was just as good that she refused his offer, it'd be another lesson for him. Arrogance was not a quality that should be allowed to flourish when one was a Kuchiki. Knowing how to recognize his mistakes was an important skill for a leader.

Byakuya put a stamp on the last recruiting form and placed it on a neat pile. He had no choice. Being a Kuchiki. Furthermore, not just any Kuchiki, being the heir, had never been an element he could put aside that easily. It was so ingrained in him that he failed to see how things could have been different. There was not a part of him that had not been programmed to fulfill that function. Yet, from time to time, he admitted wholeheartedly that he rebelled against the idea that his name should define every aspect of his life. He strayed from the natural path when he married Hisana and when he adopted Rukia, and for years he had neglected to play his part. For years, he had wondered how Hisana could have believed that he would succeed where she had failed when it was perfectly clear from the start that out of the two of them, she was the one with the heart of gold.

Kuchiki Byakuya was not good at that kind of thing. No guardian had taught him. His father died he was still young. His mother died around the same time. Matters of the heart couldn't be learned in books. Without a proper model, Byakuya had no idea where to start with Rukia. His wife asked him to watch over her most precious possession, her sister. But he had no idea how far his devotion should go. For forty years he had kept Rukia away and forced her to stay out of his way, out of sight. He did not want to talk to her. He did not want to see her resemblance to Hisana. He did not want to teach her anything. He did not want to know anything about her. The only truth that would never come out of the confinement of his lips is that for years, Byakuya would have exchanged on the moment the admiration of a sister for the love of his missing wife. He would have exchanged anything for Hisana's love. Hisana ... was all that was most dear to him.

Byakuya closed his eyes. For a brief moment, his right hand trembled over the pile. He clasped his hands calmly. Their marriage was not perfect. He remembered the muffled anger that Hisana's repeated incursions into the Rukongai in search of her lost sister triggered in him. He'd been very hard on her. Although he had never been physically violent with her, not even raising his voice in her presence, he admitted being tyrannical and overbearing at times. He desperately begged for her affection like a man lacking oxygen. He desperately wanted to have her attention when all she wanted was to repair her own sins. When he met Rukia, he had been jealous of her. Ferociously, jealous. If only, Rukia knew how much Hisana had loved her and how much, Byakuya Kuchiki, had envied this love!

He would never tell her. She would not understand. She would feel guilty. He was the only culprit in this story. He could not go back, but he could make Rukia suffer as little as possible. For forty years already, he had almost managed to avoid dealing with anything too personal. Rukia had also proved to be gifted at this game to the point that he had forgotten that they did not grow up together. She was as closed off as he was, just as incapable of expressing her emotions, she was gifted with the stoicism that a Kuchiki needed to survive. Solitary, they shared with ease whole meals in silence. For years, they had been two closed books.

For years, this form of non-communication had been enough for him as he was busy with his inner monologues and other demons ... To wonder why ... Why had she entrusted him with such responsibility when she knew he was already crumbling under the weight of his responsibilities?

Nothing changed and he was still Kuchiki Byakuya. He was the man he had always been, yet he was no longer the man that married Hisana, he realized. The old Kuchiki Byakuya would have transferred Rukia without asking for her opinion. He'd made sure that she'd get a prestigious seat in his division. He would have kept an eye on her and watched over her progress. Nowadays, he wanted to believe that he was a new man with the same respect for the law, but new principles and values. He wanted to believe that he was a more open, more accessible book for Rukia. He wanted to believe that she was for him too. He wanted to believe that they had evolved, that maybe just like Ichigo Kurosaki, he had wormed his way into her heart, that she considered him family. He wanted to believe that she would smile as easily as she'd smile to Kurosaki Ichigo when he came to pick her up at the Senzaikyū. He wanted to see her happy. It was actually the expression that most complimented her beauty, no matter what the protocol of the family required.

He picked up the box he had placed over the discard pile. He inspected one"Wakame" biscuit with suspicion. It smelled of cinnamon and other things, Sakura's flower, maybe. Strange! He didn't know what it was. It was familiar and tempting. Byakuya put the biscuit down before it reached his lips. He sighed.

Before he could think of the consequences of his actions, he decided that Rukia was right and it was time to face the demon woman.

"This must stop."

That brutal introduction had the merit of freezing one Suki-chan on the last steps of her ladder. Perched high in one of her stupid kimonos, she was putting recipe books in the library of her new office. Byakuya looked around the room. Her office was in her image, he noted. It was deliciously vulgar, brightly colored, and adorned with superfluous frills. Except for a few books whose titles he recognized, there was no trace of Sousuke Aizen anywhere. A white grand piano sat enthroned under a luminous window. The walls had been repainted in white. A floral fresco with shimmering colors adorned the facades. An orchid bouquet rested on a European-inspired white secretary.

A mountain of cardboard was still waiting in the entrance. Hinamori-Fukutaicho emerged from the next room to his astonishment, her arms laden with books. The girl bowed in a kimono, similar to that of her captain, without the long veil, flowers weaving her black curls together. She looked incredibly...pretty. He means healthy.

" Good afternoon Kuchiki-Taicho!" She nodded politely.

"Hinamori-Fukutaicho, I did not know you were out of the hospital."

"I only came back yesterday."

" And she should not be standing and helping! But she won't listen, so I gave up. I need help anyway. My Momo-chan is taller." Ichinose-Taicho cut in.

"The soup prepared by my captain has given me so much energy, I am only spending it."

" That was one of the rare personal recipes my father taught me. But flattery will not get you anywhere, vice-captain."

Suki turned to Kuchiki Byakuya mischievously.

" Oh, what if ...Well, maybe I'm wrong. Flattery is certainly good for the soul, especially in front of Kuchiki-Sama ... Keep going, Momo-chan! "

The demon-woman smirked at Hinamori. Byakuya curiously observed the exchange between the two women. She ignored him as she graciously got down on the floor. When he thought she forgot about him, she disappeared from her perch, reappeared with a tea set, disappeared again, to return with a silver dessert dish. She reappeared before him.

Her shunpo was excellent nevertheless. As he could see for himself, she was not the most dedicated of fighters. Slower than he had anticipated, he still did not know how she might have surprised him during the aptitude test. He could not put that solely on the account of his distraction, no he suspected she owed her salvation to the illusion power of her zanpakutō. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, he did not have time to analyze its abilities in detail, she was a fighter with zero strategies, and her attacks had no real impact. It lacked a bit of determination. It was as if in spite of her very unhealthy Reiryoku, and all her shenanigans, this woman could not bring herself to hurt her opponents. But like Aizen, her zanpakutō was a rare illusion-type, and he wagered that it was the main reason behind Yamamoto-Sotaicho's decision to recruit her. She was a reasonably skilled fighter even though he doubted she had enough skills to be able to wound a Menos Grande.

He watched her going back and forth from a kitchen to the living area. He could not feel anything emanating from her. How strange! Her reiryoku was red, but there was no trace of that exceptional reiatsu of hers. It was so exceptional indeed, she could have sedated him on the spot if she had wanted to; if she had fought to her fullest ability, and that had been the scariest part of their encounter. Renji Abarai, Dengeki Manatsu, Captain Komamura, Soi Fon collapsed under its weight. He was himself so intoxicated by it, he was about to call forth his bankai and honestly didn't know what he'd do to her with it. That kind of unpredictable opponents always was the hardest to fight against. He didn't even remember her that well from that advanced class, except Gin used to call her Chubby-chan. Well, he did too since she was annoying back there too. He also did remember that she was always late for all her classes. When she graced them with her presence, sometimes dragged by force, she'd interrupt the teachers with stupid silly questions like how many moons are there, or why is the sky blue, or why there were no dinosaurs in Soul Society.

There were other things he didn't quite know about ... Byakuya wondered if it happened to this superficial creature, devoid of any common sense to think of other things than food. She pointed to the table.

"We were going to have tea anyway. Would you join us Kuchiki-Taicho?"

He stayed on the threshold, determined to stop this masquerade once and for all. Suki was annoyed, she pouted. Once again, the malicious imprint of her reiryoku appeared behind her.

" Taicho?" Hinamori asked, alarmed.

Suki hid her blushing face behind her fan, which she snapped open close to the noble's face. Byakuya hated it when she did that. He did not move, and his expression remained neutral. He would have twisted her neck and her stupid zanpakutō, but he was above that.

"Hinamori-san, do you mind leaving us alone, please? "

She materialized again beside her vice-captain. She touched her subordinate's face.

" What do I see on this face? "Hinamori bowed her head with a sad smile.

" I like it better. "

The young woman took a deep breath.

" I'll prepare the table for dinner."

" Very good. I'll meet you as soon as I can. "

Hinamori had barely left the room, Suki sighed in exasperation and dropped into an armchair.

"By the Spirit God, Kuchiki-Sama, a smile could relax your face from time to time! Hinamori is a remarkable and very capable young woman. She's barely recovering. You're frightening her with your stern features."

She put a hand on her forehead dramatically and wriggled like a snake, slumped in the armchair, her chin resting on the armrest. It took him a while to understand that she was trying to reach the knot of her obi. He took even longer to grasp the purpose of her approach. Was she undressing? No. He realized one of her hairpins was caught in her belt. He resisted the urge to help her. Since one of them had to maintain some sense of decorum. He, therefore, endured her gesticulations and awful moans, impassive. She finally broke free and sighed.

"You know what this man did to this poor Hinamori-chan! To do this to a girl her age! What kind of monster really! She ... she's broken! They are all! I had to send half of my unit to seek psychological support from the 4th squad unit. I'm just starting to realize what war was, Kuchiki-taicho."

He hesitated before stepping in further.

"It's depressing!"She said.

He noticed her eyes were just a lentil color... or something else entirely.

" Rebuilding is exhausting! It's also terribly frustrating because some of them have nightmares or insomnias and... Hinamori is just so pure and young. Dinner is a tradition that I have just introduced in my division. Once a day, we all sit together as a family to eat. It could be breakfast or dinner or lunch. It's just once in a day, we take the time to heal each other. I used to do that with my sisters."

He nodded in agreement.

"If you want to join us tonight, Kuchiki-taicho, we'd be honored."

Suki Ichinose had launched this invitation seemingly innocently after she conveniently chatted away like they were long lost friends. But Byakuya knew how to spot a trap from afar. Byakuya shook his head stubbornly.

For once, what the demon woman said made sense. Her complicity with her lieutenant seemed sincere. Strengthening the ties with her subordinates were even a laudable goal. The only thing the sixth squad captain could not understand was the persistence of this woman to want to force-feed him.

He could play a game or two of his own. Byakuya Kuchiki gave a smile, one of those he offered only on rare occasions. The brunette straightened immediately. It was time to move on to the second phase. He bowed to her. Suki Ichinose let out a gasp of surprise. She hid her rosy cheeks behind her fan. Women were such malleable creatures!

Byakuya had not arrived 15 times straight on top of this stupid ranking list of the most attractive captains of the Gotei 13, just for the beauty of his zanpakutō.

"I take note of your invitation, Ichinose-Taicho. But regretfully, the reason for my visit compels me to decline your offer. I thank you for all the attention you bestowed on my division.

Suki gave him a smile back and nodded. He lured her successfully.

"But I came to tell you that my dearest wish would be for you to stop sending me all these food."

Her smiled vanished. She pouted.

He took a few steps towards her and handed her the Taiyaki box.

" I see you have not tasted them."

She moaned, one hand on her heart, her lips trembling.

This was to mark the return of feminine hysteria! He knew no one at the mercy of her own passions like this one. It was time for him to take his leave while his dignity remained intact.

"I do not like this type of pastries." He lied boldly.

" But I asked Rukia-san... "

His features hardened again. This woman! If she wanted a chance to celebrate her next birthday, she had to leave Rukia out of their quarrels.

"Why do you put yourself through so much trouble? I do not like your cooking. This is by no means reprehensible. You are not at fault. I'm not at fault either."

She pushed the box away with a small grunt and took a few steps into the room.

"You did not just not like it, Kuchiki Byakuya! You insulted it! You insulted me!" She scolded him.

He followed the young woman with a look, feeling a surge of exasperation.

"I didn't do any such things. Ichinose-Dono, should I remind you that you, the first, abused my hospitality and humiliated me in front of my guests? "

She shrugged.

"You're joking, you call this conventional gathering of future trophy wives your guests? They were only there to polish your oversized ego, you old man? "

" Old man?"

He articulated, his eyes round. What had she said?

"Perfectly! You are so old-fashioned!"

"Ichinose-Dono, you are surely very young to ignore the rules of decency. But in the future, avoid ruining what was revealed before your appearance a very pleasant meal between civilized people."

"You're still joking? You were certainly lucky I came out of my kitchen in such a timely manner. That party was well on the road of disaster. They were all bored to death."

"It was not a party. You organized it. You could have known that at least! "

"Very well, it was not a party. I just did not want to mention how ridiculous it was for a man of your stature to use that kind of method to find a wife. See, I did not want to offend you in such ways... And all right, you're a difficult man! Your personality, when it is present, is tasteless and abject."

Byakuya abandoned his mask of neutrality.

"Kuchiki-Sama, you would never have found a woman to your liking in this panel of what is worse in Soul Society. There were no Suki-chans there!"

"Like it was ever a criterion to rate the success of a social gathering!" Byakuya fumed. Suki went on, ignoring him.

"I have done you some kind of service because I believe that even Byakuya Kuchiki does not deserve such a fate. And in exchange for my goodwill and natural benevolence, you assaulted me like a brute. Like a coward, you attacked me, a weak woman. You should be ashamed! "

" You insult me again, Ichinose-Taicho. And then, your memory fails you, as your common sense, it seems."

"It was not my intention, to insult you, I mean ... I was too sincere. I apologize for it."

" I do not accept your apologies. Let me be sincere in my turn, your cooking has no taste."

Her green eyes flashed with unrestrained anger.

" It's not a very nice thing to say especially when you refused to taste it at least once.

"Your clothes are vulgar."

She lowered her head to her black kimono.

"It's a very traditional garment."

" Your scent is just as tacky! "

Her eyes widened, her mouth wide open.

" Take that back, you horrible bitter man! Do it right now!

" Or what? Will you smite us with your ridiculous zanpakutō? Stop your infantilism, Ichinose-taicho! "

Her lips quivered ostensibly. Limpid Tears formed in the corners of her green eyes. Her little hands squeezed the neck of her black kimono, offended.

"You're not going to cry."

As an answer, Suki Ichinose burst into tears.

" Stop doing that. It's very irritating."

" You're very cruel to women, Kuchiki-sama? Why? "

He took a few steps toward her and leaned over to be on the same level, making himself aware that she was much smaller than in his memory.

" All the time. You irritate me constantly. You are painful. You are annoying. You are unpleasant. You are unbearable. You are exasperating! "

Her tears increased and her sobs too. She sank into her chair and hugged a ridiculous floral cushion in her arms. For a few seconds, no sound came from her except moans, sobs, and other plaintive meowings. Byakuya Kuchiki was making a woman cry. It was a terribly compromising situation. He sighed in frustration. She brought out the worst in him. Since their first meeting, his life was only sourness and frustration and ...

" I'm leaving ..."

" Very well, go! That's all you know how to turn people away from you. No wonder you are walking so alone, you never leave the door open. The needy could make room for themselves in your heart of stone inadvertently! Throw out all my dishes for all I care, it will not change the final outcome, one day you will fall in love with my cuisine, Kuchiki Byakuya."

"That was what it was about! Me loving your cooking!"

"So what?! It is just like me very lovable and adorable, very worthy of some proper admiration."

And he thought Kurotsuchi had the biggest ego... He took one last look at her but then paused. She looked so serious and determined as if they just touched one sensitive subject. To think this was all about some food!

" I see you're not crying anymore, Ichinose-Taicho."

" To see your back and not to see your hideous face so close comforted me slightly, sir! "

He turned back to stand a few inches from her face. She was impossible.

" Am I still ugly to you? "She turned her head uncomfortably because of their sudden proximity. She murmured something inaudible softly.

"Anyway, you get out of your rank, Madam, too often to appreciate aesthetics. So I'm not worried."

He moved away again. Suddenly disoriented, he did not immediately find the way to the exit.

"You are still cruel, Kuchiki-Sama, but I'm growing on you, I'm sure."

He stooped down again to her height.

" Stop bothering me in my division, Ichinose-Taicho! "

" Never!" she exclaimed, getting up, forcing Byakuya to back off. Too close to each other, for a few seconds, her balance precarious, she staggered and caught up with his haori to avoid the fall."

By reflex, Byakuya helped her by putting a hand on the small of her back.

" Marry me then! If you're going to be nagging twenty-four-seven... "

He only realized his words a few seconds before throwing them in the wind. She remained motionless in his arms. He immediately let go. What did he say? Had she pushed him to the limit so that he had lost his mind? That's it; he had just lost his mind.

"Excuse me? "

She walked away again. He quickly looked for a scathing reply.

" I will consent to taste your food only, and if only you carry my name."

It was even more ridiculous than his first request. But he reasoned that the madwoman would realize immediately that he was joking and that would stop this, right? He would never marry anyone, so ... like her.

" It's ridiculous. That's blackmail. "

There was a penny of common sense in this pretty little round head in the end. He did not take advantage of her stunned silence to leave. He watched her stretch this awkward moment with all her might, by seriously considering his proposition.

"If you cannot fulfill this simple formality, stop harassing me."

He was not insisting. That was not insistence. He just wanted to break this creature's determination, he reasoned. He did not plan to remarry with a woman who was as different from his first love as day and night. She was not even a proper noble. No, he was only ...

" I'm not going to get married again on a whim! I have learned my lesson!"

What was she talking about? Byakuya frowned, at a loss for words.

"I don't love you."

What did love have to do with that? With her? With them? The noble thought again.

" I don't love you either, you frivolous creature. "

She burst out laughing almost hoarsely between two new sobs. Fascinating. She trapped Byakuya's scarf between her delicate fingers to wipe her crocodile tears in it. Just fascinating!

"Cruel, Kuchiki-sama! Very cruel! You're not supposed to say these things aloud! It's the worst marriage proposal I've ever heard. I've heard a couple of them. Be nice to me. I'm a woman! Be delicate with my feelings! "

She approached him and looked at him with big olive eyes and a small mouth in the heart of the color of the rose. She looked absolutely like one of Rukia's rabbit.

" You are a monster!" he murmured in return. He recoiled, almost defeated. She put a stern finger on the lips of Lord Kuchiki.

" A monster of a woman, I prefer. Stay polite."

Byakuya swallows with difficulty.

"Take it or leave it, Ichinose-Taicho."

He would marry her. If she answered yes, Byakuya Kuchiki would marry her right away. Impossible! When he realized, he hurried to look out for the exit.

"I'm only asking for a mouthful, Kuchiki-sama, not a faithful commitment. Although I am quite sure that mouthful will bring on that everlasting devotion part in our relationship."

"You are dreaming."

" One, Kuchiki-Sama! You will not regret it!

" It will never happen!" He persisted. Hands on her hips, she sighed.

" Were you always this stubborn as a child?"

"Some think my character has improved greatly since. I will say I didn't remember a girl with that much tenacity."

"I will admit I got considerably worse as I grew up, Kuchiki-sama."

" Give up!"

" Never. Why should I give up? Why do you not give in for once?"

" Inconceivable. The Head of the Kuchiki clan does not bend."

"Neither does the daughter of Tadashi Ichinose. The pastry chef of Bentobu, either. The captain of the fifth division even less. You cannot trample on my pride and expect me to give up! I am better than anyone gives me credit for including myself, and there is a part of me totally rebelling against that."

Byakuya frowned sternly.

" Your pride. These are really big words, Keikosuki."

She shivered at the way he said her name. It rolled on his tongue so naturally when few people ever called her by her full name. He froze, realizing he might have overstepped some boundaries, but she said nothing, and they stared at each other for over a long, painful minute. Then Byakuya went back to the door, his haori floating behind him.

" Do you believe I might have said yes, though? What's left of my pride is everything I have! If it's the price to pay for it ... I'd say you could have still raised those prices, Kuchiki-Sama."

He remained frozen.

"You would have said ... yes?"

"I guess you're not that ugly and old."

" Huh?"

"But I'm already married, Kuchiki-Sama. So, it's a No."

In the presence of this woman, Byakuya Kuchiki had something like a stroke of madness. Of course, she certainly had other commitments. It did not really matter because he had made commitments as well. It was inconceivable that he would bind himself to such a creature willingly. He lowered his head.

"In that case, I ask you to forgive me, Ichinose-Taicho. This proposition was really inappropriate."

Without another word, he left her office. Like a Castle of cards, Suki dropped herself into an armchair with a sigh.

* * *

Next chapter= The venom of the Snake


	12. The Venom of the Snake

* * *

**Koshinko Geren**

Third seat of the second division under the orders of Soi Fon

Onmitsukidō Member

Director of the penitentiary unit "The Maggot's Nest."

Some Snakes hide under stones. Some hide behind pretenses.

* * *

Koshinko Geren passed the proficiency test for the fourth time, and as always it ended in a big spectacular failure. It was like a curse. He was not told what was unsatisfactory in his personality and abilities. In the missive signed by the Ichibantai Captain, and probably written by his lieutenant, he found only the usual formalities expressing their regrets of having to inform him that they choose another to wear that Haori. No other appreciation was given. To say he was surprised would be a lie.

He had tried for years to infiltrate the circle of captains and vice-captains. He had tried to befriend them all, used all sorts of tactics, even Onmitsukidō techniques so that they could see him as an ally. But it always ended the same, and they all saw him as an outsider. He was even rebuked from the shinigami's men association which should be considered the hardest achievement of all. Well, it was probably a bit exaggerated to say he was sacked from there when they were the least elitist group in Seireitei. Everybody with facial hairs could basically get in. But the atmosphere was so uncool there that he couldn't believe he had to stoop so low so he had a stupid falling out with Iba over his choice of sunglasses. It's not like he really wanted to be friends with them for just the sake of being friends. Who would want to be friends with that snob Kuchiki, that lazy slob Omaeda, that cruel motherfucker Kurotsushi, or that asshole of Kenpachi and his band of inglorious bastards? Geren couldn't picture himself having a drink with Abarai or Izuru. One was basically Mr. Cheesy Popular and the other, Captain Gloomy Poetry. They were all beneath him to be truthful. True, Geren didn't always feel that way.

Not that Unohana bothered to mention it on the day of the proficiency test, but that girl wasn't the only one admitted in that advanced class. He was there also. It was something like a couple of centuries ago, he shared desks with the likes of Kuchiki and Ichimaru, and he remembered clearly his life going to hell then, with him feeling isolated and mostly invisible. The Curse. It started then if he was, to tell the truth. It began right then when he entered the academy, and he was introduced in that class. Even though he was born in a lower noble family, Geren was adamant only his skills got him there, unlike some people. When he was a child, people referred to him as he was the eldest in his household. He was well-liked and admired for his early control on his zanpakutō's Shikai. He could call it forth at will or use kido level 50 without incantation with ease when other students his age were generally clueless. But did you think it would matter one bit? Nothing ever mattered when you have to stand comparison to the Big Three.

Soon, it became clear that only three students had the favors of their teachers: The big Three, Lord Kuchiki, Ichimaru the genius, and Princess Lazy Bone, better known as Chubby-chan. The latter, he just heard just passed the exam that was supposed to be his breakout moment with flying colors. To think that girl got to replace Aizen! To think that girl bested him again! It was all a conspiration organized by that monster Yamamoto. They made you believe it was a fair, honest exam but everything was decided within a certain clique. They manipulated people like him into thinking they had a chance when it was all about who you knew and how popular you were. Abarai was Kuchiki's protégé. Ichinose was Yamamoto's goddaughter. How convenient for them!

Somehow you had to appreciate the irony of it all; Geren was the one who got her the nickname Chubby-chan! Not Ichimaru! Not Kuchiki! And she didn't even recognize him, the clueless bitch! But Kuchiki and Ichimaru were no better. They lived in their own world thinking they were the only people able to use kido, Ichimaru, the single proficient hakuda user, Kuchiki, the best shunpo practitioner! Thinking their shit didn't stink! They were all so arrogant! Who would want to work with these people really?

So he had overall mixed feelings on his failure. He was angry that after all these years, his work values, his ethics, had yet to be recognized. How did people like Gin Ichimaru, Aizen Sousuke, Mayuri Kurotsuchi to name a few succeeded where he always failed? Naturally, he found whatever basis on which the council of captains made their decisions highly arbitrary. It was just all a big joke really. However, he was conflicted since he also felt relieved. The whole purpose of his life had been to become a captain, and Geren worked hard toward his goal, but he had to wonder if it was really all worth it.

The archives of the Eighth Division was a large three-story building. There were bookshelves everywhere. It was mostly dimly-lit. Darkness did not really bother him he was perfectly comfortable with it. Since the secret services had a map of every building in the Seireitei, he had no trouble finding what he was after. What he sought was in the most remote and guarded part of the Archives: the section of rare and forbidden works. He dealt swiftly with the mechanical locks. Breaking the Kido seal that closed the door of this section had been less straightforward.

Nevertheless, he had many resources at his disposal like the Shihouin Master Keys, an artifact that allowed anyone to enter any room closed by Kido. He got it from Soi Fon's panty drawers, but that was another story in itself, one he'd rather not talk about since it involved getting Vice-captain Omaeda and all the other seated officers drunk, and Geren never been a very social person. Geren picked up the book and opened it with a grimace. A white halo wrapped his hooded face in the darkness. On the first pages, the names of those who had this book in their hands were displayed in translucent green magic ink.

Yamamoto Genryūsai. Shunsui Kyouraku. Soujun Kuchiki. Shihouin Yoruichi. Shiba Isshin. Kisuke Urahara. Aizen Sousuke. Koshinko Geren.

He closed the book immediately and slipped out of the room like a ghost. In his black ops uniform, he merged into the night every time one of the eight division's "seats" beamed their lanterns along the shelves in search of possible intruders. During one tour, he recognized Lieutenant Nanao Ise. The young woman stopped in the most frequented section of the Archives, "Romantic literature."

He kept his eyes fixed on the exit. Nanao picked up here and there a few forgotten books on the tables before heading for the double doors. Head down, hanging on one of the chandeliers in the main alleys, like a spider, Geren waited patiently for her to leave the room, but it was without taking into account the perfectionism of Nanao Ise. She turned back.

Nanao sighed as she saw a speck of dust on the floor. She disappeared only to return a few minutes later with a mop and a bucket of water. She brushed and mopped the floor like a wizard, sparing no corner even if it meant pushing the vast columns of shelves out of her way. Thirty minutes later, swept, mopped, and waxed, the floor gleamed in the darkness to the point that the young woman could observe her reflection by the light of the chandelier.

Yes, the perfectionism of Nanao Ise was going to be the death of her someday. Koshinko's shadow appeared on the marble. The brunette with glasses frowned and searched for her zanpakutō. However, Koshinko was fast.

As fast as a captain despite what their council had said...

He crossed over the Seireitei and the slums of East Rukongai. He left the city for the countryside. The house in front of which he decided to stop had a garden, a peaceful courtyard, and a swing hung on an apricot tree that gave beautiful fruits in the summer.

Koshinko looked at the remains of his past life wrapped in darkness. He pushed the door. The smell was what bothered him the most. In all the rooms there was at least one corpse. A servant, a brother, a sister ...

He lit a lantern. Behind him, the door closed with a sordid squeak. A big milky hand settled at the base of his neck, preventing him from speaking, preventing him from doing anything other than following the Arrancar. With one paw, the behemoth hit the wall that supported the staircase several times. The plaster fell to the ground. He was lifted by his blond hair. The cries of Delia Koshinko upstairs broke the silence. Then nothing. His stomach contracted violently. He tried to get rid of the grip Rigor Mortis had on his hair without success.

One by one, the candles lit up. There was such a level of spiritual pressure in the house that the air was unbreathable, the atmosphere suffocating. His universe was undulating. He looked up at the stairs, where an unusually tall and thin hollow was watching him, leaning over the balcony with a yellow, blood-stained grin in the dim light. Another third acolyte appeared holding a birdcage that was holding Asami's, Geren's daughter prisoner.

" Hey, hey, hey, Look who's back? " Yellow-toothed said.

" We were bored, but luckily Delia was keeping us company."

She only gave a small grunt in return like a wounded animal, her red hair concealed her bloody face and part of her nakedness. Koshinko tried to reach for his Zanpakutō. But with a clawed hand, the monster that held him sliced off his belt and kicked the katana.

"Tsk! Tsk! That's not nice! We waited a long time for you! "

His nasal voice matched the disturbing sound of his claws scratching the slate.

" You said you would not hurt her. "

The face of the Arrancar was illuminated for a few seconds by a candle. His eyes were just two black orbs that absorbed the darkness.

"Me hurting my friend Delia? She loved everything we did to her, right Delia?"

Just hearing her name, Delia Koshinko convulsed with terror and screamed in horror with damaged vocal cords. An imaginary breeze blew on her once flamboyant mane and revealed her bloody mouth with torn out lips.

"What did you do to her? I'll kill you! I will! I will!" He sobbed in despair.

" I know. Maybe we did push the jokes too far. I'm sure Delia will be all smiling again tomorrow. But you have to admit what fool would miss the captain's aptitude test four times in a row? It's normally within every idiots' reach! You had to screw that up and well... What can I say? We got bored!"

The second Arrancar shook the cage of the little girl who began to sob.

" So true, Enzo, it is within every idiots' reach." He repeated in a monotone voice.

"Please ... Stop!"

" I'm sure that idiot did not put any willingness into it. It's quite sad, Barruk. He could not even succeed for his family!"

" I swear I did everything I could... Please let them go. It's me you want. Let them go."

Enzo shrugged.

"No! No ! You are wrong to think that it is you that we want. Your pathetic existence, shinigami, is of no importance whatsoever!"

" Let them go!"

"They are themselves of no importance just like you. So, we won't let them go. Not until we get what we want. And I'll say it again, it's not you! "

He twirled the keyring of Asami's cage with his fingers.

"So, I will ask one more time, did you get what you wanted, Shinigami? After you told us that you failed, you were quick to say that you had something we could be interested in. You said it could help us. So, I am waiting... It's not good to make me and my brothers wait."

Geren threw the book at the creature, who had no trouble catching it on the fly. On the cover, you could read. "Hōhō, Way of Demonic Transgressions."

The yellow-toothed Arrancar ran through it for a few moments.

"What is this? This book is full of pretty illustrations, but that does not tell me exactly where Aizen-Sama is? Or how to get to him out?"

" It's because I do not have these details. I thought we could try another approach since I fail the captain exam."

"How do you want me to believe that lie? Are you not the director of the prison unit?"

" I am in charge of the Maggot's nest, that is correct. It's a low to mid-level security penitentiary where prisoners from class 3-5 are kept. Below that it's another story. We're talking zero squad and royal militia. Aizen is a prisoner of class 0. That means that even I do not have access to a whole lot of information about his detention. The only thing I know is that he is in Muken."

" Muken?"

" It is the name of a royal prison between dimensions. The coordinates are constantly changing. Impossible to reach even for me! So free my family!"

Enzo did not quit his unnerving smile that seemed to have been pinned on his face and stitched by an invisible thread. Before Geren could see it coming, he had picked Delia from the floor, ripped her open with one hand and got rid of her corpse over the balcony. She fell back to the ground heavily. The vibrations of her body hitting the floor causing the fall of several trinkets in the entrance. Part of her intestines was still in the hand of her murderer. He cremated it with a red cero. Geren felt the strength abandon him; he struggled to keep himself upright. Cruelly, he escaped the grip of Rigor Mortis. His knees hit the floor.

The leader of the kidnappers shrugged.

" You should have said so earlier that you were useless. "

Geren screamed at the top of his lungs. He even wanted to tear his hair. He could not take it any longer.

"I beg you! Please! ARgggggggggh! Please! No! No! I'm sorry. I will tell you everything. I will do whatever you want me to do?"

The tall one leaned forward, his deformed hand behind the ear in a dramatic way.

" I didn't get that. "

"Tell me what I must do? Please! "

Delia began to disintegrate before his eyes.

"Get our friend Delia back with us, Rigor."

The mammoth of flesh pushed Geren out of the way. He put a hand on Delia's face. Leaning forward, he blew on the forehead of the dead a cloud of black smoke that stopped the inescapable disintegration of her soul. Eyes wide open, Delia took a deep breath. "Delia?" She turned her head toward him, her eyes were vacant.

"What's that? Did I hear a thank you or what?"

" Delia ... I'm sorry ..."

" Oh! You! No need to thank me! I know I can be very generous. It's my weakness some might say. "

" You are very generous, Enzo."

"That goes straight to my heart, Barruk. I am touched. So, we said ... Muken."

"Hum... Hum...It's a prison. It's ... It's...It's the Prison. I will tell you what I learned at the academy about it. It's a prison where only the worst enemy of its Majesty are kept. It moves between dimensions according to the will of the "Spirit King." There is no way to escape. At least no one has ever tried... that I know of. It is said that with Aizen, there are only three prisoners that have ever been incarcerated there. Hmm ... "

Enzo frowned and scratched his goatee with his fingertip, looking thoughtful.

"So, how do we get there."

"The book... book in your hands. There is a transgression spell that can open a door in any dimensions. It's like a Masterkey at the scale of the Galaxy."

" A Transgression spell?"

"Hōjō. Dark Magic. Transgressive magic."

" Do you want me to stoop to your level using shinigami magic? "

" It's not stupid, and that's the only way!"

" I'd like to try using Kido just for fun, Enzo," Barruk said.

"It's not simple Kido. It is transgressive demoniac magic. Not anyone can use hōjō! Only very powerful shinigami, well beyond the captain's level can use some of those spells. I mean the "Paths of transgression" unleashed powers well beyond your wildest imagination. If we manage to bring out Kīboruto [1], the Key, we can open a door on any dimension including Muken. The only thing it will not open is the royal palace. That's the last place you want to be anyway. "

" So, you have a plan?"

" I do. I need to warn you though. Even if you get there, that's that's only half of the work. There will be guards that an army will not be able to defeat. And then, if by some miracle you get to Aizen, the seal put by Urahara is virtually unbreakable.

" What are we going to do, huh, Enzo?" Barruk groaned.

" Like I'm worried about an army? But ... you're right Shinigami, better safe than sorry, my mother used to say. So we will get that army... Oh Geren, my friend? You're getting good at this. Keep going."

" I also understand you want access to him. Gin Ichimaru?"

"Can you provide?"

At the mere mention of this name, Barruk groaned, his face deformed by rage like a Beast. Asami curled up in her cage, terrified. He pushed the pen into a corner.

"Down Barruk... We don't want to give the wrong impression! Gin is our beloved fallen commander after all. What happens to him matters to us. We need to repay him for his kindness!"

" Well, it's highly unlikely I can reach him physically. It's really guarded. But I have a way in. I'm almost sure Ise-Fukutaicho could not identify me. We may have a couple of hours before they catch up "

Terror made Koshinko inventive.

"He occupies a cell in the Senzaikyu, the "tower of regret," waiting for his judgment. I can reach him. You want me to get him out for you? "

" No, of course not. It would be illegal. It would be terrible. I would never force you to do something so bad. "Enzo shook his head.

"No, it would be easy after all. I can get him out."

"We don't want him out! We want him dead!" Barruk growled.

"Shh... Barruk, please be nice with our new friend. Okay, I take you at your word since we really need you to get someone for us. "

"Okay, tell me. Tell me !I'll do anything you want!"Arrancar shook his head finally, looking teasing.

" No, I do not want to give you this task after all. I couldn't bear the disappointment this time around. It's really an important task."

Enzo started down the stairs, his gait nonchalant.

" Please? I will do it! I can! Let me serve you! Let me help you? Let me buy my family's freedom."

" Really? Do you really want to? You want to help us? "

" I swear to you on their lives. Leave them alone and ... I will give my life to your cause."

Geren bowed.

" Alright, but you see, my brother, Barruk, is attached to them like pets! I cannot let them go without some kind of payments! Choose one."

" What?"

"Barruk, my brother, will be sad if I took away his toys. Same for Rigor. I think I will just give you one."

"What?"

"Who'd you like? Your wife or your child? Who'd you rather see, survive without you?"

He extended one of his impossibly long limbs and brush Geren's face.

"Please..."

"Don't beg, just answer the damn question."

His claws tightened around Geren's throat, and he lifted the shinigami effortlessly.

" Asami. Let her go in the Rukon district, Kusajishi. We have some kin there."

Enzo nodded and turned lazily toward Rigor Mortis. The Beast quietly stepped on Delia's head, as if she was just an insect. Enzo released Geren on the floor where he sagged against a wall.

"Ah shinigami, we can say that your kind will surprise me always. There is not an ounce of humanity in you, and yet you pretend you are just like humans. She is not a child, and this one is not your wife. It's a spirit. A gathering of particles. Nothing else. Nothing more. I admit it, it reminded me of the time when I was myself a shinigami."

"Yes, Enzo, when you were shinigami," Barruk adds." I was also Shinigami, Enzo?"

" Of course. We are brothers."

He looked down at his white pants with a sad look at his clown smile. He sighed deeply before pulling away from Geren and sitting in the living room. Yes, it was also the good old days. What was he about to say?

Enzo turned his head to an isolated corner of the room. In the shadows, several silhouettes detached themselves from the walls like ghosts. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. A beam of light enveloped the silhouette of an Espada. Ulquiorra Schiffer swept the room apathetically and without passion.

Enzo sighed and turned to him.

"Orihime Inoue. Bring us back, Orihime Inoue. I'm sure she can help with some details. "

Ulquiorra's gaze rested on Geren and then on Asami's cage without showing any trace of emotion.

" Orihime Inoue? Enzo, you said she must play the role that was assigned to her originally by Aizen. You also promised I will get a new toy! Can I play with her this time around? Can I?" Barruk said.

He jumped from the first floor to eagerly land. His lycanthrope silhouette slid along the walls as if it was a hieroglyph in an Egyptian pyramid. Enzo winked at Ulquiorra who remained impassive.

" Later ... We will get to play later. First, let us get the girl because that is our duty and well Geren will know soon what he has to do for us. We will settle our accounts later."

He turned to all of them.

" First we take care of Aizen-Sama's problem ... You see, Geren, we are simple arrancars: "Primeros" with well-defined priorities."

* * *

**Ichimaru Gin**

Ex-Commander of the army of Arrancar of Aizen Sousuke

Ex-Captain of the 3rd Division

Childhood Friend of Matsumoto Rangiku

Weaved a necklace with his regrets and offered it to Rangiku Matsumoto.

* * *

Gin Ichimaru watched the sunset behind the Sōkyoku Hill. It must have been his 90th sunset. In a week or so, he would have seen hundreds of those. He did not count the days anymore. In his crystalline pupils, the scene was reflected so clearly. Gin was ready to file a claim against the council of the thirteen divisions. The reputation of the Senzaikyū as the tower of Regrets had been greatly exaggerated.

**Devil May Cry 3 music soundtrack- Devil never cry**

Gin Ichimaru did not regret anything. He was only reminded of past events. The memories were back like it was promised on the brochure since there were no other alternatives to entertain one spirit in this soulless, empty cell.

Gin was a simple, modest man. At one point, all he ever needed to do in life to have fun was surprise Ran-Chan naked after her bath. And Rangiku, weary of his childish attempts, once untied her shihakusho and unveiled herself completely. Served him right. He could not sleep for a week after that, forced to spend long hours in the snow to forget the image of the body of Rangiku Matsumoto. It was a good memory.

Absolutely no regrets. It was all worth it.

Everything about Rangiku was beautiful and pure in his memory. Nothing could taint the beauty of this woman in his mind, not even Aizen's hands. It would be presumptuous of him to pretend to have fought this war for her, albeit he conceded he did it all in the wrong camp. Rangiku would probably slap him across the face if he claimed such a thing. Perhaps in a tiny part of his mind, he had the vague notion that what he was doing would also serve Rangiku's interests eventually. Aizen had rewritten their story for them. Nothing had been the same after that.

When he first saw Aizen, it was like seeing a little of himself in this man. It was not the hairstyle and the nerdy glasses ... It was not the pompous verbiage. It was not the lack of a sense of humor... None of the above. Just like Aizen, there was a dead part of Gin Ichimaru's soul that did not recognize father, mother, or flag. Gin had seen Aizen dispossess him of what was most precious to him, Rangiku's heart. Without Rangiku, black and white, good and evil made no difference whatsoever... None. In the end, nothing he had done had really served a purpose. But that did not mean that if he were to be given a second chance, he would not do it all over again. He would not go where he had to go ... He would not kill the third seat again. Had he felt the slightest regret when he felt the man's life slip between his fingers? No, he only regretted the lack of fulfillment it procured him. It wasn't enough then. It had never been enough. His hunger for vengeance could not be satiated then.

The wind whistled over the hill and bitterness tinged his smile. The third seat hadn't been his first victim, nor the last. Aizen had not created the monster in him. He bet that's what the big Poof found so intriguing about Gin. He could manipulate and deceive all the people around him, but the influence he had had on that kid had always been most relative. When Gin saw what the shinigami had done to his Rangiku, Gin allowed the dead part, the damaged corner of his soul to resurface. Nobody fucking had a clue. Whoever cared that this part of him felt old like three fucking millennium with memories flooding him on how to find water in Hueco Mundo or how to control Menos Grande? Whoever cared that that part of him has a very possessive and territorial sense of justice, that could turn a soul into ashes, just to prove a point? Under the guise of protecting Rangiku's happiness, Gin came out to play.

Sometimes he did not come home for days. Sometimes he could not find his way back. Gin unveiled his fangs, at the reminder of such a glorious era. He used to leave such a trail of blood behind him, leaving every gruesome scene smiling just like he was doing just now. Whoever did care enough to stop him? Not the Shinigamis, such a band of hypocrites...

The bracelets on his wrists flashed quickly while his excess of reiatsu caused interference with the system. He'd always had this extraordinary gift. Although for years, he had just been planting seeds in a garden that could only be harvested in the spring, he'd been happy with Rangiku. But after Aizen, Gin had just refused to ignore his differences, ignore who he was, ignore the gift he had. He'd come to terms with the peculiar nature of his skills.

**My chosen mojo makes me stronger.**

At the time when he "learned" about reiatsu and zanpakuto, Rukongai became his permanent hunting ground. There was not an alley where a morally questionable soul had not taken up residence, and he became all at once the judge, the jury, and the executioner. It was his "preparation." That's how he called it. He had to learn to fight to protect Rangiku. No, he had to learn to fight to kill Aizen. It was the same thing in the end. None of his goals were really noble and selfless.

Aizen had not created him. He had only encouraged Gin in a certain way to come to terms with what he was. How could Gin regret anything?

**Killed before, a time to kill them all**

**Passed down the righteous law**

**Serve justice that dwells in me**

**Lifeless corpse as far as the eye can see**

Gin closed his eyes. The first full moon rays illuminated his cell and wrapped his discolored hair in a bright halo. The cell door creaked behind him. He grinned, even more, recognizing the reiatsu of his visitor. Enjoying a few minutes when his visitor sought to move in the dark, an image with an uncensored soundtrack struck him. Rangiku was naked beneath him, her ample bosom pressed against his chest, her blond hair spread across the desk like a sun, his hands left red trails on her neck.

**The eye can see**

**S** everal nights, Gin could not help it. He stalked her like he stalked the evil souls of Rukongai. Some nights, he could not help also but help her get up from the place where alcohol had drained all her strength. He could not help but play the "good Samaritan" on selected evenings. When he found her particularly drunk after an evening in Shunsui Kyouraku's company. She always followed him without asking questions. No matter how scary he became, how much the rumored body counts of his victims rose, how many pranks he did to the other captains, no matter how many hurtful remarks Gin made, no matter how many times he wiped his blood-smeared hands-on Rangiku's uniform, she had never ceased for one minute to trust him blindly. He would hold a hand to guide her, and she followed meekly. They seldom crossed to the end of the world together. They generally found shelter in his division and Gin always locked the door behind them so as not to be disturbed. On her own volition, she always began by removing her pink scarf. Her big blue eyes stared at him impatiently. She was still struggling to stand up, so he always kept his arm wrapped around her back. He always feared his own clumsiness that one day he would break her in two. She never asked questions. She never asked why Gin had woken up that morning with the urge to make love to her. She did not ask him anything about his new duties as Captain. She did not ask him anything. He returned the favor. He did not ask her how many men she had ensnared in her nets since the last time. He did not want her to feel uncomfortable. He did not want her to lie to him. He was doing enough harm to her like that. The answer mattered little to him anyway.

When they were together, he could read in the icy blue of her eyes, her adoration. When they were together, Rangiku only wanted him. They would kiss, and nothing else ever mattered then. He could not get away from her, and her lips tasted like sake, like losing freedom. No matter how many of her conquests and suitors, no matter her own unique body counts, Ranchan's lips kept the taste of her innocence. In any case, they were two bad students on the issue. He could never accurately account for the number of men and women who had helped him for a couple of hours to rinse his mouth of Rangiku's flavor and forget he was missing her like one would miss oxygen. No one, however, could be compared to her. He never managed to undress fast enough. His haori was always a pain to remove. They would dance and stumble around it. It would be torn apart somehow. Her tongue was so docile in his mouth. While one hand gripped her blonde mane to steady them, another hand sought to quickly untie her hakama. Her tongue caressed his softly. Their clothes never fell on the ground at a reasonable enough pace according to Gin, even though Ran-chan was always far too eager to help. It was not unusual for him to get a little annoyed with her obi sash or pull a little too hard on her fiery mane. He could lift her up, and zanpakutō included, the beautiful girl weighed nothing. They would bang against the shelf, work in prospect for Kira. She pressed her lower belly against him and trapped his face in her warm, clammy palms. There was no way he could get rid of his haori in that position. But physics had limits that Rangiku Matsumoto and Gin Ichimaru loved to push back and as she tried to support herself with one hand on a shelf, her legs tied around his back, Gin thought that hell or paradise must feel and look like this. Fuck Soul Society! This was what the afterlife was supposed to be about. The caress of her silky hair on his neck. Her scent. Pomenagrate. Mischief and sweet pain. But also bliss... Infinite bliss. To the tip of his fingers to the darkest corner of his soul. Sun scorching everything.

He would lose the jacket at last. He never had much time to do much that Rangiku would seal their lips together again as if they should never have been separated in the first place. It was usually the moment when things became interesting.

**The eyes can see**

Regrets? Gin bowed his head with a new smile. Yes, he just found one. He had been a fool for not having made these moments last. During those encounters, Gin never had a strategy, they never found the way to his bedroom, completely blind in her presence, utterly drunk on her scent, wholly lost with or without her. They moved to the desk or settled on the edge of a window. And when a few times they were lucky enough, they fell together on the couch. The fact that she never protested, stifling his moans and groans with her mouth. Her clumsy little hands found their way to his belt without effort. Shinso was always the first thing she dropped on the floor. The zanpakutō fell on the floor in a thump. Uncaring the state he was in, Gin had a few principles, he always finished undressing her. It was his way of paying his respect. She deserved to live naked.

Her body was something of a work of art. She could blush, with redness spreading on every single part of her body, neither out of chastity or shyness. She'd blush, and it was just like when the sun gets warmer on your skin after a breeze. He never had enough time to admire, the pink of her nipples, the freckles on her belly... Ran-chan's nails dug into his flesh, tearing at his soul and his meager control would fade. She forced his lips again, her tongue tickling his bottom lip. He could almost become insane in those moments, daring anyone to interrupt this... She hugged him ... The way she could hold him so hard as if they could absorb each other's reiatsu, each other's essence.

He never knew how she managed to bear with his reiatsu anyway. Past the point of no return, Gin never really controlled the flow of his spiritual pressure. Once, he put his entire division to sleep, to the point that he had to call Unohana the next day to wake them up, pretexting he had a nightmare.

Her nails were skinning him alive, but for nothing in the world, he would have wanted her to lessen her hold. His hands were closing around her fragile neck, and he was just as possessive as her. There was not a centimeter of her neck that he had not traced with his tongue, not a drop of sweat he had let dry in the hollow of her breasts. Her fingernails drew insignificant love words in his flesh, words that they knew would no longer matter come the first light of day. But the way she accepted him whole as if he was a part of herself who had finally found its way home. He thrust into her always too quickly wanting to satisfy their thirst. OK! No ! Wanting to satisfy his craving for her. Gin was definitely that much of a selfish lover when he thought about it. She was an angel of Mercy, always ready to burst and cum with him. Always too fast! Always too brutal! He could have made it last! If only he was not so eager and starved of her! With one hand, Gin would push Haineko to join Shinsou on the floor. The other hand clung to her rebellious mane, her neck, her back, a thigh, a breast ... The inspiration came on the moment.

Daybreak always came too fast.

**Bless me with the**

**Leaf off of the tree**

**On it I see**

**The freedom reign**

Matsumoto Rangiku had 36,000 ways to be and to tell the truth none was displeasing to Gin Ichimaru. Even when she seemed to want to tie him down. Even when she whispered, "I love you." Even when she begged him not to abandon her. Even when she stifled her sobs in his neck after love. Even when her tears and complaints redoubled when Gin picked up her things on the floor and threw them in her face with a cruel smirk. She had 36,000 faces, and each one of them excited him. He would get off to all of them. The day he was about to destroy her little captain, and she begged him to stop. The day she caught Gin red-handed with Kira, and he dared ask her to join. The mix of horror, anger, indignation, jealousy, lust, and temptation on her face... To think she could experience so many emotions at once. He liked to ask her to leave him alone just when the first rays of sunlight played tricks in her hair because then Gin would notice the early signs of her anger, the first signs of her wrath, and she would be powerful and all goddess-like. It twisted his stomach to know she would be hurt and he would feel genuinely alive then. He experienced such a twisted joy thinking that she could really mean it this time and that her anger may burn bridges as quickly as the ashes of her zanpakutō. Each time she picked up Haineko on the floor faster... Each time he saw a new determination... Each time she promised herself that it would be the last time and it never was. She said she was done waiting for him. She said she was done following in his shadows. She said she deserved better. He would agree. She said he was the worst. She said he was a monster. He would nod quickly. She said she never wanted to see his face again. Gin hoped every time she kept her word, but all the times were alike, and her resolve had not changed anything. His was almost nonexistent as far as she was concerned. Their common determination amounted to nothing.

"Level I Prisoner Ichimaru Gin... "

**We are falling**

**The light is calling**

**Tears inside me**

**Calm me down**

Gin looked up at Toshiro Hitsugaya, grinning in the darkness.

"You have been found guilty of High Treason, Homicide with Premeditation, Multiple accounts of attempted murder. No extenuating circumstances were retained. Although the assembly of the thirteen captains acknowledges your involvement in the outcome of Aizen's plot and his defeat, by a vote of eight to five, you have been sentenced to death by Kido destruction. Your execution has been scheduled to take place in fifteen days. Do you have any questions?"

**Midnight calling**

**Mist of resolving**

**Crown me**

**With the Pure green leaf**

Toshiro sighed. Gin turned his head towards the sekkiseki stone. The great moon enveloped the Seireitei with a silvery cloak.

" Ichimaru, do you have any questions? "

He opened his eyes. Cerulean blue met with Turquoise in the dark.

"How is Rangiku?"

Since yesterday his reiatsu absorbed by the negation stones no longer allowed him to clearly feel the presence of Rangiku. He could no longer tell if she was dead or alive. Toshiro Hitsugaya put the judgment in his pocket.

"Her condition has not changed."

Gin nodded.

"Well, that's perfect."

Toshiro pulled a chair to settle in but never used it. He clearly wanted to say something.

"I have a question, Ichimaru."

Gin did not flinch. His smirk firmly in place.

" Do you like her? No. Do you love her? "

Gin pushed an imaginary speck of dust on his garment to the floor. Toshiro did not know how long they stood in the dark, him leaning on that chair, Gin staring quietly at the moon. He almost lost hope that Gin would answer his question one day. From prodigy to prodigy ...

" No doubt enough to kill for her. And maybe enough not to kill for her. Undoubtedly enough to die and probably enough to live for her. "

Toshiro's eyes snapped open in surprise. It was not the uncomplicated and straightforward answer he had hoped for. Furthermore, he was highly unprepared for how bleakly sincere Gin's words would feel, how much they would hurt and cut deep into his pride. To admit that the snake had feelings before you had to put it down was some kind of sick joke. Toshiro found himself nodding before stumbling in a hurry to the door. Slamming it behind him, the captain of the tenth division did not go very far. He felt a headache coming as well as a wave of nausea. Oh, the irony of it all! He stood there surrounded by the guards of Onmitsukidō.

How pathetic that he should say these words now! Gin took a few steps into the empty cell again and stretched himself slowly. Turning to the window, he let out a sneer. Well, he was going to die in fifteen days. How about that for vacation plans?

Gin turned around all of a sudden, grabbed the chair with both hands and smashed it against the armored door of his cell with a howl. Out of breath, he dropped to his knees in front of his handy work ... Without a doubt, it was a lifetime achievement. Fucking hell! He could no longer feel her. His gaze remained undecipherable behind their veil of silvery hair.

He could no longer feel her.

"Shit! "

Toshiro sighed deeply before heading back to his division **.**

**Praise to my father**

**Blessed by the water**

**Black night**

**Dark sky**

**The devil's cry**

* * *

**Next Chapter = Teen Spirit**


	13. Teen Spirit

**[In the end- Linkin Park Cinematic Cover (feat. Jung Youth & Fleurie)]**

**_It starts with one_ **

_"Kurosaki-Kun?"_

_" Rukia?"_

_Hands on her hips, she gave him a flirtatious wink._

_" You are not Rukia."_

_Ichigo did not move from where he stood. It was not Rukia. Of course, the young woman in front of him looked exactly like the shinigami. Her black hair, her round face, her big violet eyes, everything was there down to the smallest details. Rukia never called him Kurosaki-Kun. Rukia never glanced flirtatiously at him._

_So Ichigo quickly wiped the rain on his face and squeezed his equally soaked sweatshirt. In his world cluttered with sterile geometric shapes, there was no room for Rukia anyway. There was no place for their friendship._

_He did not come here for that anyway although he didn't remember how and why he got there._

_The features of the young woman hardened. She leaned back with insolence with a predatory stance._

_"I say my impression was almost on point, right? I thought that by searching your memories and imitating ..."_

_This voice._

_His hollow._

_Ichigo blanched. Rukia's legs lengthened quickly. Before his eyes, the Hollow version of himself completed his transformation._

_" You?"_

_"_ _Surprise! Surprise! I'm still here!"_

_"Teme! My memories are mine only! It's fucking too private for you to mess around with it !"_

_His Hollow remained curiously silent. He pushed a lock of hair on the side and sighed heavily._

_" You think I want to mess around in your fucking cluttered brain, you fucking baboon! I don't have a motherfucking choice! I thought if you saw her again, it would put a stop to the fucking rain! That's what the old man seemed to think anyway! That she was the one and blablabla!"_

_Ichigo examines the cubic platform with an air of realization._

_"Where is Zengetsu?"_

_"In your opinion ?"_

_" I know he's here somewhere."_

_" No, I'm alone here, Ichigo."_

_" But, he's here."_

_"_ _How many times should we be having this conversation? He's gone!"_

_Ichigo got irritated._

_"_ _Stop joking!"_

_" You knew I was not Rukia the minute you laid eyes on me. In the same way, you know that I'm telling the truth and that you will not find Zengetsu here. It's odd, though, that you do not ask me how I survived? I thought you'd have had a few questions knowing I'm still here, ready to dethrone you. But no, you're clueless as ever."_

_Ichigo was no longer listening to him. He was searching for his zanpakuto spirit._

_" Zengetsu is here. He must be. He's there. You must help me find him!"_

_"No, kidding! This time it really messes you up! You managed to be worse than before!"_

_Hollow Ichigo began to chuckle. Ichigo disappeared to materialize again, his image refusing to stabilize in space as his mind refused to stop on a single idea._

_"He's there somewhere, and I know it. I am still a shinigami! I am still me! I am me! Who would I be if I was not a Shinigami?! I know that I am me. I know who I am! He is here. I will find him! I know he's there somewhere! He must be!_

_His hollow stared at him in disdain. To think he considered himself to be the most important part of that idiot, and that guy couldn't even see it. Fuck Zangetsu! He warned him against giving that fool what he was asking for! Now he had to pace back and forth in this fucking rain all the time, and he was sick with it._

_"Good luck with your little quest, you fucking maggot! You know what I know! I know she won't fucking come back for a weakling like you! That is the truth! She was way too good for you! I am stuck too! The princess and the tramp! Man, that was you !"_

_Ichigo dropped on his hinges, holding his head as he was suddenly fighting the worse headache. The music was blasting loudly in his ears. The hollow leaned over Ichigo carefully. He was hesitant at first, but finally, he patted Ichigo's head almost gently._

_"_ _You fucking asshole, I fucking miss everything too. But you gotta see the big picture! If only we were born smart…"_

_The rain only poured harder. The hollow growled loudly. Grabbing Ichigo by his collar, he pulled him to his feet forcefully. Ichigo was too powerless to stop him!_

_" It's not that I'm not rejoicing over our little impromptu reunion. But it's time for viewers to get back to their usual tv programming. You will thank me later, asshole! Get out of my sight!"_

_A door swung open in front of Ichigo, and with a kick in his ass as a bonus, his alter ego propelled him through the opening. Ichigo landed in Rukia's feet with a thud, lifting a cloud of sand around him. Wiping his face with the back of his hand, he admitted he thought it would hurt more._

_"_ _Oi, Ichigo, you took your sweet time to get the drinks. Besides, where are they, big baka?"_

_Ichigo stammered an excuse and could barely look at her. He knew what lay ahead. They were about to argue to hide the fact that they could use, at times, less violent forms of communication. They were about to argue to conceal the fact that she was the only person he could tell everything except the essential. Rukia clenched her fists. Ichigo anticipated what's to come. However, the long-awaited uppercut was not delivered. The brunette kneeled in front of him, and for a second, he couldn't swallow his saliva suddenly embarrassed by their sudden proximity. She trapped his face and leaned forward to kiss him with half-open lips. Her lips brushed against his with such enthusiasm. In one nanosecond, Ichigo forgot even the existence of his hollow. He crawled on his knees, the sand viciously leaving marks on him..._ _His arms closed around Rukia's waist naturally. Fascinated by the way her spine bends under his fingers, he even daringly strokes under her bra. What was wrong with him? It was all so sudden._

_As she sat on his lap, practically spread above him, he laid down a thousand kisses on her neck. She was so tiny! He was starting to think that the sand was unbearable, but then they were no longer on the sand. They were on a bath towel. The sound of the waves was distant and subtle. Bursts of laughter in the distance could be heard in the distance. While the brunette tickled his ear with her tongue, he vaguely registered his feet in the water._

_Tatsuki_ _was playing volleyball with Nel Tu. This was not enough to challenge his perception of what was happening. He only noted that he never saw anyone wear a bikini as tiny as Rangiku-san. Perfection. Rukia dropped kisses all along his chest. The more she ventured south, the more his face was turning red. He grabbed the white sheets but he was not on a bed. His towel ... A handful of sand. It was just ... He pushed one finger after another in Rukia's thick mane. Her hair flowed between his fingers like silk. She trapped one of his nipples in her little mouth and nibbled ... and it was just ... Just indescribable. He moaned again and again._

_Looking up, he found Orihime on his path. The redhead bowed, her face crimson. The plunging view on her opulent chest was almost enough to ... He couldn't speak. This was too much. They were too much. If he opened his mouth, the most inelegant sound might escape him._

_He opened his mouth despite himself when Rukia decides to play with the belt of his shorts. Orihime jumped. He was so sorry. Rukia let go of his shorts. She focuses again, her tongue leaving saliva on his skin that cools in contact with the air. What Rukia was doing to him was surely forbidden in many countries. That was exactly the kind of thing that would make Orihime uncomfortable._

_"_ _Rukia ..." He pleaded weakly._

_He tried pushing her away softly. She slid further down his belly button. She finds the key to untying his swimming trunks. Her little hands were working so fast. He did not know where he was anymore. Of course, he could not think anymore._

_In her mouth..._

_The landscape was shifting. His world was oscillating like Rukia's butts as she ... Her tongue ... He let go of another groan._

_"_ _Kurosaki-Kun, can I?"_

_What was she asking? Without waiting for the end of her sentence, Ichigo seized the redhead by the wrist and forced her to kneel. They were passionately kissing before he knew what he was doing. He did not know where he was anymore, with Rukia, or rather with Orihime ... Where were they exactly? He stifled the moans of the girl with his own groan. He realizes that one of his hands did not leave the back of Rukia's neck. Just a minute ... He interrupted their kiss to bring Rukia's face closer to his. Her lips offered, she kisses greedily. Orihime switched places with the shinigami on his lap. The crescent moon was covered with white clouds in a dark sky. The dunes are moving. The hollow was close. The remnant of the mask on his face was the testament of that and Ichigo quickly guided Orihime, encouraging her to go harder. He let go, and the brunet traded places with the blond. Ichigo arched slightly, staring with vacant eyes at the dark sky._

_Rukia ... Rukia ... Ulquiorra ..._

_Ichigo shot up in surprise as he noticed the newcomers. He moaned again as Rukia bit his manhood a little too hard._

_Standing in front of him, their hands in pockets, Ulquiorra and Grimmjow decided to not miss a minute of their antics, one with an envious expression, the other ... with ... Teme! Like a jar of ink spilled on a white page, his eyes blurred with yellow and black. He was so close to ... His Hollow growled. The mask was rebuilding on his face. So close to the surface ..._

_Rukia ... Orihime ... Stop!_

_Ichigo suffocated under their attention. He felt trapped, and basic common sense was deserting him._

_Just a little longer…_

_More…_

_Weary of his immature prayers, Ulquiorra suddenly thrust his fist into the young man's chest. The latter did not have time to shout that Espada No. 6 brutally tears Orihime's head. Her lifeless body falls to his feet. Rukia, who like him did not have the good sense to flee, was cut in two by a ball of green cero. Helpless, Ichigo could only scream when the Hollow achieved taking possession of him._

* * *

**Ichigo Kurosaki**

Full-time high school student in Karakura city

Former substitute shinigami

Friend of Kuchiki Rukia

Saves the world several times a day on Wii, self-appointed protector of teenage girls-in-distress, and useless boyfriend.

* * *

Ichigo opened his eyes sharply and struggled for a few seconds tangled in his white sheets. He fell off the bed and crashed to the ground in time to avoid Isshin and his special morning kick. His father lost his balance, tripped over the bed, toppled through the window. What was that? Ichigo woke up completely and immediately put a hand on his heart. It was beating forcefully. He had already forgotten what had awakened him with a start. He turned his head to the window. Was it his father's usual antics or was it the dream? He dreamed of her… of them… Rukia ... and Orihime ... Kon could be heard snoring in the closet. Ichigo frowned and blushed. There was probably enough erotic content in his dream to send Kon to paradise without regrets.

"Ichi-Nii! Are you done masturbating? Do you want me to bring you breakfast in bed?"

Ichigo straightened up immediately and realized with horror that his right hand was stuck in his sweatpants. The height of transcendent happiness to be a teenager overwhelmed with hormone! Ichigo Kurosaki was hard. He was furiously turn on. Wonderful! He pushed on his legs and jumped on the spot, praying that all the blood that had accumulated along his member would again irrigate his brain somehow. Right now! He was full of it! This felt way too good and… Okay, could Zaraki Kenpachi show up now and finish him off? Ichigo banged his head hard on his closet and sighed. It was such a wrong image. Never again, he would think about Zaraki while he ... Well! Play it cool! Ichigo! It was natural! It was nature doing its work! He slid the door of the closet open and stared at the neatly folded chappy comforter and the pillow.

The whispers behind his door went on again. He'd almost forgotten those.

" Yuzu, I cannot believe you said that?"

" But Karin-chan, dad just said that he caught Ichi-Nii masturbating in his bed."

"I know. But people don't say it. These things are private."

" But dad said it's natural, all the boys of Ichigo's age do it and the girls too. That's why when we get to this age; he will forbid us to go out."

" But will you stop repeating all the bad stuff that this crazy, immature, irresponsible guy says! "

The vein on Ichigo's forehead seemed ready to explode.

"I heard that, Karin! It's not very nice for your old father! Masturbating for a boy is a sign of good health! As a doctor, I can only be happy that my son is so strong and vigorous. It means we did our job well Masaki and I."

Ichigo could not take it anymore. He opened the door at once.

"Will you shut up already?! At least do not stay in front of my room! And then, Teme! What kind of father would have this kind of conversation with his young daughters at seven in the morning!"

Ishiin immediately covered the girls' eyes. He pointed at Ichigo.

" You're not ashamed to point that thing in front of your sisters! Who's got no sense between you and me, little pervert!"

Isshin lifted the two girls at the same time, one under each arm, and ran towards the stairs with them.

"You do like your father and go take a hot shower thinking of nice things! It always works! "He bellowed from downstairs.

Ichigo closed the door immediately. Ok, he was going to take a cold shower! It was a good compromise! Ichigo wanted to grunt. His dad was insane!

He did not know how it happened. A few months after the battle, he was still amazed by how his life turned out. He had settled into the routine again, a routine only interrupted by Kon's snoring in his closet. He banged the closet door again. No way! Kon could sleep through a storm. He grabbed a bath towel.

Kon had remained the only supernatural remnant of his past life. He could not see spirits anymore. He no longer felt even the slightest particle of reiatsu. His father was still the weirdest guy in Karakura.

He had not seen Urahara Kisuke for ages. Little by little, he was moving away from the world he had come to know for two years.

He was busy in high school again. He'd started to shine in math class getting the best grades at the last exam. Chad had offered to teach him how to play guitar. Knowing that Ichigo Kurosaki was devoid of a musical ear, it was an activity that occupied many of his days. He sucked at it with a passion, but at least he got to hang out with Chad like before. He also became quite addicted to video games much to the delight of Isshin.

Taking off his shirt, Ichigo stretched himself in front of his bedroom window. His body was shredded to a fault which wasn't so bad for P.E class. He wasn't doing much this day, except sometimes getting in a brawl or two because he still couldn't bear to witness injustices. He went training with Keigo a couple of times. See, it was a funny story. Keigo had asked Tatsuki for Karate lessons but sucked at it to the point he requested Ichigo gave him secret lessons to get through his actual lessons with Tat, without losing his dignity or his entire set of balls in front of her ( as Keigo put it). He suspected Keigo had a thing for her, but when he had asked his friend about it, he had been in complete denial mode. Well, he was never one to pry, especially when Keigo had asked a couple of times about Kuchiki-san, and he ditched him so many times. Ichigo spread the curtains to let in the sun and went to the bathroom.

After taking a cold shower, he found his sisters and his father in the dining room. Yuzu finished cooking his omurice just in time to quiet Ichigo's stomach. What would he do without her really?

"Ichi-nii is early today. It is Saturday." She noted with the sharp precision of a mother hen.

Karin, who had already finished her breakfast, glanced sideways at him. He laid a kiss on the forehead of the little redhead and winked at the tough one. It's true, with his hectic schedule, he hadn't spent much time with them lately.

" That's because I did not forget that I have to escort these young ladies in town this morning."

Yuzu shouted happily and threw herself around his neck. Karin just raised an eyebrow intrigued. Isshin raised his fist in the air dramatically.

"Good idea, Ichigo! A good family outing!"

Karin punched him to reign on in his enthusiasm.

"Oh no! You, old guy! I don't want to be seen with you!"

Isshin sniffed sadly. Yuzu went to get some ice for her father. Karin turned to Ichigo with this inquisitive stare of her.

"We didn't get to see much of you lately? To what do we owe the pleasure?"

He shrugged but could not hide anything from her. It was much more difficult to lie to her, unlike Yuzu. Isshin spared him the task of elaborating an answer by serving up as a distraction. Not ready to give up the idea of turning this weekend into an "extra special family weekend," Isshin offered to take them all bowling in the afternoon. To which, Ichigo replied curtly:

" I hate bowling since I was a kid. Anyway, I'm busy this afternoon."

" Ichi-nii?" Yuzu asked, looking worried.

She did not want Ichigo to disappear for days. Ichigo said nothing and just ruffled her chestnut hair. No, he wasn't going anywhere this time around.

Isshin coughed solemnly, breaking the heavy silence.

" As a good father, I know how to read between the lines. Ichigo has a girlfriend. Bravo, son! I'm proud of you!"

Unable to restrain himself longer, Ichigo gave a sideway kick and sent his father hovering through the kitchen window.

" Shut up!"

He turned to his sisters.

" You girls are ready?"

They nodded eagerly. They had a great morning together. The siblings stopped at the Arcade, Karin and Ichigo played a couple of rounds. Ichigo realized then that it would probably take thousands of years of practice to reach Karin's level in Alien Soccer Space. He won a stuffed toy in a machine so that Yuzu could complete her collection. They stopped in a shop for lunch, and they did some shopping for the week at the local market before going home.

After dropping the girls to the clinic, Ichigo returned downtown. This development he had not seen coming. It was an area he had no expertise whatsoever. When Tatsuki first suggested it, two weeks ago, Ichigo had even been tempted to dismiss it as if it had been a fragment of his imagination. The gang went to the movies to watch an American blockbuster. Tatsuki told them that they made a lovely couple in the queue. Like he said, Ichigo immediately dismissed the idea like it was a joke, asked for two tickets for them, to spare her the trouble of speaking, knowing she could be very shy. There was no more intention than that behind his actions.

Ichigo moved on.

To move on. It was what he did best these days.

Two days after that movie outing, she approached him at the end of classes while he waited for Chad to finish his rehearsal with the school band. He still remembered that the giant rabbit was casting a grotesque shadow on the central courtyard of the school. The students voted against deflating Chappy just a week earlier. He remembered thinking that it would probably make a certain Shinigami ecstatic.

"Kurosaki-Kun?"

" Hey, Orihime!"

"Can I ask you a question?"

Ichigo had turned to her, going himself from casual to quite serious in a matter of seconds, alerted by the gravity in her voice.

" Go ahead..."

"Can I call you Ichigo?"

At that moment, he did not know what to say. He did not know what he had been expecting. Maybe Kurosaki-Kun, what are you thinking? Or Kurosaki-Kun, any news from Kuchiki-san? Without really being able to explain it, he breathed a sigh of relief. Head down, Orihime fiddled with her thumbs nervously.

"Of course, anyway, that's my name, isn't it?"

He replied between two awkward bursts of laughter. He stopped laughing very quickly when he realized that he was the only one laughing. Orihime was even more red and feverish than the first time she had spoken to him. She nodded slowly and sighed. He did not want to hurt her. So why did she look at him like this?

Looking back, he probably should have backed down at that time. But a part of him didn't want to, the part that wanted to move on.

"I never said thank you for coming to my rescue, Ichigo. You saved my life."

Ichigo turned his head to the white rabbit that snapped in the wind.

"It's nothing at all, Orihime. It's behind us now."

"Oh but that's everything to me on the contrary!"

At her words, he looked down at her again. Her arms were crossed against her heart as if to protect herself from the cold. The breeze swept away her red hair. Her eyes were shining as if she was waiting for something, waiting to cry or to smile. She took a deep breath.

" I like you a lot, Ichigo."

His world changed color. He did not know what happened afterward. The complete blackout! What went through his brain at that moment he was unable to tell. It was just an overwhelming feeling, and his brain went straight into panic mode, survival mode it seems. He remembered at that odd time, hearing Ichimaru's voice taunting him. _You really are a creepy kid._ She liked him. What was he supposed to do with that information? So, he closed his eyes, brought her closer somehow and his lips found hers in all the confusion.

**_I tried so hard_ **

**_And got so far_ **

He really had no idea. He only knew that Orihime didn't push him away. To the contrary, she deepened the kiss. It was… It was nice probably not that he remembered doing much. They were both so clumsy, and he also had no idea how long they did it. But it was glued to each other that Chad had found them at the end of his rehearsal. He was too flustered and embarrassed to explain the situation. Orihime looked just as spooked, so it's not like she was helpful. So the trio of friends just stood there staring at each other. Chad especially was fixing them like he was a murder witness, meanwhile maintaining his usual unphased persona. So, Ichigo had then taken his courage in both hands to clarify the situation. Ok, they were dating, so what?

**_In the end, it doesn't even matter_ **

He entered the coffee shop where Orihime was waiting for him, her little-knit purse in her hands, a smile on her lips. Ichigo stopped in front of her table, and she naturally climbed on her tiptoe to kiss him. Her arms surrounded him immediately, and he felt warm.

It had been so simple in the end to become human again. To kiss her back was the most natural gesture that came to him after losing his powers. Perhaps it was because it helped him mourn what he had sacrificed in the battle. Maybe it was because he sometimes imagined that if their universe was alternated, he could have shared this moment with a certain brunet. It was unfair to say that he did not feel anything special for Orihime. She was one of his dearest friends. When she hugged him forcefully, she was even more than a friend; she was his lifeline. If she had not helped him so much turn that page, he might have spent his life locked in his room.

No, he had feelings for Orihime.

He felt grateful for her for agreeing to hold the hand of a guy like him, a guy who probably could no longer protect anyone.

**_In the end, it doesn't even matter_ **

* * *

**Orihime Inoue**

Full-time high school student in Karakura

Ex-damsel in distress

Kurosaki Ichigo's girlfriend

Courage is to be able to say I love you without regret. Orihime Inoue has become very brave.

* * *

Somewhere in the mazes of her gray prison at Hueco Mundo, Orihime Inoue had abandoned a piece of her childhood. It was not much. It was a tiny bit. It was trivial at most. Most of the time, she did not see its absence. She went back to cooking recipes that everyone hated. She was still the distracted girl who forgot her keys in the fridge. She kept on drawing wacky characters directly inspired by her overflowing imagination. She was still so passionately in love with Ichigo Kurosaki.

**[Youth - Daughter]**

When Tatsuki teased her and Ichigo about looking like a nice cozy couple in front of the movie theater, she blushed at first and then she could not keep her mind from wandering. After all, if the others had not been there, under a different set of circumstances, their little meeting could have been called a date. During the time she was daydreaming, Ichigo had ordered two tickets for both of them. He didn't comment on Satsuki's remark. And Orihime's cluttered brain started to drift again. And then there was her first confession ... And then there was their first kiss ... And then the first date ... And then ...the other date... where he kissed her neck.

Clutching his strong arm against her chest, their fingers entwined, Orihime followed Ichigo in the entertainment park. She loved not missing a minute of his laughter. She loved that he could challenge both Chad, Mizuiro and Ichida in the shooting range and still search blindly for her hand. She loved all the new little things that made her new life. What she was experiencing was the "Happy End" at the end of all the fairy tales. She could not explain it otherwise. They were full of simple pleasures like Ichigo pushing Chizuru back with one hand like a jealous husband.

She could not have dreamed of a better "ending" at the dawn of her 17th year on this earth. Such an unexpected one with that!

**Shifting back to: In the end- "In The End" Linkin Park Cinematic Cover (feat. Jung Youth & Fleurie)**

She was not so naive as to think that Ichigo felt exactly the same as she did. The nostalgia in his eyes... His vacant gaze... His refusal to talk about Kuchiki-san ...

She knew that Ichigo had not returned whole from that battle. He only showed it on rare occasions. His despair, his sadness, his anger ... only came to the surface on rare occasions. Each time, it reminded her that their happiness was fragile and that they were still building it. It reminded her of how selfish she could be. She was always so jealous of Kuchiki-san knowing Rukia was the one he confided in, the one who saw his smiles and his tears. It's not to say that she didn't feel inadequate trying to fill the void her best friend left behind her. It was awkward. But she reasoned that Rukia had never shown any hints of being interested in Ichigo over than as a Nakama. They argued. They fought. They sparred. They danced around each other.

Orihime thought that maybe that was the proof that they were just friends. She also missed Rukia dearly. Maybe for Ichigo, it was the same. The sad truth was that she was aware her logic was flawed. She was aware there was something inherently selfish in her approach. But selfish had been a second skin since the Hueco Mundo. She was the one who wished he would lose his powers forever so that he never got hurt again. She never wanted to see him wounded or dead again. Remembering what she lost on that day… the day Ichigo died. The day they both died. Her innocence shred then like a piece of paper. Part of her saw him as a superhero. She'd always seen him that way. Long before he even became a shinigami. Part of her did not need those stupid powers to think he was just so extraordinary.

If someone wondered how Orihime Inoue could prefer her happiness to Ichigo's misfortune, it was enough to say that she had left a piece of her innocence in Hueco Mundo.

A light breeze blew on their hair, and she shivered. The air smelled of sweet cotton candy. His hand was holding hers. Then it was gone, and she looked up in anguish. Ichigo was smiling at her indulgently while he was taking off his jacket for her. She almost wanted to cry at how perfect her life was right now. But Ichigo just shuffled her hair in amusement, and before she knew it, he pulled her hand again. Orihime burst into laughter but was interrupted as she noticed a shadowy figure watching her. She closed her eyes to make it go away. There was no way she would let him ruin this dream.

The sun was setting behind the houses and buildings. After they left their friends, Ichigo took her back to her apartment. Orihime could not muster the courage to offer him to stay a little longer. He did not ask. Ichigo quickly kissed Orihime's forehead and hurried down the stairs. Standing on the threshold, Orihime watched his silhouette fade into the night.

**_I tried so hard_ **

**_And got so far_ **

**_But in the end_ **

**_It doesn't even matter_ **

**_I had to fall_ **

**_To lose it all_ **

**_But in the end_ **

**_It doesn't even matter_ ** **_._ **

She put on a pair of comfy pajamas and crawled in her futon, her head full of dreams of a future life with Ichigo, a garden, a dog, and a robot. The robot would necessarily be massive and muscular like Chad. Tatsuki would come often. Her best friend would get upset with the twins she would have had with Keigo-San. Her godsons would be the naughty kind! Orihime yawned, eyes closed. Oh, it would be great if Tatsuki could really have twins! A butterfly from Hell entered the open window. She did not see the shinigami's shadow coming off the wall. She did not have to look in his gray orbs filled with despair. When he put his hand on her mouth, and she finally felt his reiatsu seize her body, Orihime Inoue did not have time to scream.

**_So unreal_ **

* * *

**Next chapter = Brotherhood.**


	14. Brotherhood

* * *

**Jūshirō Ukitake**

Captain of the thirteenth division

Kyouraku Shunsui's best friend

Before falling asleep, it is better to put to sleep one's thoughts. The problem is that wanting to sleep is thinking, and to think is to wake up.

* * *

For the sick and the dying, Ugendō was a scrap of paradise lost in the middle of the Seireitei, an Oasis concealed by high walls of premium Sekisekki, adjacent to the quarters of the thirteenth division. The estate was not as large as the Kuchiki mansion, but a stream with genuine silver carps crossed the impeccably maintained traditional garden. The birds settled on Sakura and apricot trees to squeak harmoniously in rhythm with the appeasing sound of the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Very well.

It was not entirely accurate. That was more the idyllic description he'd make if Sentarou's and Kiyone's voices did not cover the delicate chirps of the sparrows. He sometimes thought that Ugendō was the worst place on earth for the sick, the dying, and the migraine prone.

"It's impossible. The captain cannot be disturbed ..."

Sentarou, the third seat of the thirteen division, told the messenger on the first steps of the terrace of his suite. Jūshirō sensed it. That little conversation was about to degenerate quickly. Sentarou and Kiyone were generally too full of energy and too full of good intentions for it to be otherwise. He got up from the bed and picked up his haori left on a stand. He stopped in his office, delicately brushed the photo frame of Kaien Shiba and his wife Miyako with his thumb, whispered a few words in prayers, before picking up his zanpakutō.

**[RED- Who we are]**

"This is an urgent message from the eighth division."

"That's from Captain Kyouraku? Well, if it's from Captain Kyouraku…"

"Do not make any noises, I'll wake him gently."

"Why would you be the one who gets the privilege to wake up the captain?"

"I know how to show sensitivity, tact, and sweetness unlike you!" Kiyone said.

"That's stupid! If anyone knows how to be tactful and gentle, it's me! You are a boor!" Sentarou countered.

"You're crazy enough to shout so loud when you know the captain has such a hard time finding his sleep these days. I swear you're the worst!"

"I'll wake up the captain!" They shouted at the same time.

Tired of hearing them arguing, Jūshirō slammed the Shoji doors open. Unfortunately, this effort alone elicited a violent coughing fit that almost forced him on his knees. He tried to keep calm, not wanting his pride to embarrass him more than the illness. After a minute, which seemed interminable, his cough ended. He wiped the corners of his bloody lips with a piece of cloth. Kiyone and Sentarou prostrated themselves at his feet at the same time, their faces anxious. He was almost sure that one day their combined attention would cost him his life more than this illness that was slowly killing him. He reasoned that it was a pretty good way to go in comparison. If he had the choice, he would leave this way.

"My apologies, Taicho! I told Sentarou / I told Kiyone that you were resting!" they exclaimed at the same time. "Stop plagiarizing me! You idiot!"

He couldn't stop the smile from reaching his lips. One could believe that these two came out of the belly of the same mother.

"Sentarou, Kiyone, it does not matter. I am awake."

The dark circles under Jūshirō's eyes only accentuated the natural pallor of his complexion. It was the testament of how little sleep he was having since Gin's sentencing. Death Penalty. He hated this punishment. He was one of those who firmly believed that capital punishment should only be used as a last resort. For him, they were so far from having exhausted all their options with Gin. He still had a lot of unanswered questions about the former captain of the third division. Some things didn't add up. He sighed sadly. His two "third seats" helped him up and stayed out his way. So Jūshirō finally met with the messenger who was still kneeling in the staircase.

"Hi, you can also rise, Messenger."

The Messenger nodded politely but remained in the same position.

"I'm coming with a message from Captain Kyouraku Shunsui. Last night, vice-captain Nanao Ise was assaulted in the library of the ninth division. Her days are not ..."

The jusanbantai captain faded in the air. He honestly could not wait for the end of the message. In a shunpo, Jūshirō landed on the roof of the central building of the Twelfth Division, Sentarou, and Kiyone on his tail. But not having devised a plan, Jūshirō preferred to go ahead. Another precise leap, he cut through the eleventh division. Perched at the window of Kenpachi's office, Yachiru waved in his direction. He returned the gesture with a broad smile before disappearing again.

It was out of breath that he pushed Kyouraku's door less than three minutes later. He found the captain of the Eighth Division, deep into paperwork, a clear sign that the apocalypse was near. He frowned immediately.

"It's ... it's so bad? Where is Unohana-san? Is she gonna be alright?"

His friend raised his head, pushing his straw hat with the tip of his index finger.

"Yeah! It is bad. Although she only got a simple concussion! But I gave Nanao-Chan a three-day leave. So, she is understandably very upset with me. She said she will never talk to me again. Oh, if only Ran-chan were here, she'd infuse some sense into her friend. Women!"

Jūshirō was again overwhelmed by a violent coughing fit. Kyouraku walked over to him in two strides and offered him his handkerchief. He made no comment when he saw the square of silk tint itself with red in a few seconds.

"Yare, Yare, you were worried about your old friend, and you pushed yourself to come as fast as you could. It touched me deeply."

Jūshirō shook his head stubbornly, the handkerchief covering his mouth.

"I was worried about Nanao-san. I came as soon as I knew. What happened?"

"The girl was surprised by an intruder in the archives room. She could not give us a detailed report on who it was. Said it was all dark."

The lack of information that Shunsui seemed able to provide did nothing to alleviate his concern. The man with the sakat headed for the door, his flowery coat floating behind him. Jūshirō followed without a word. Over time, he had learned not to question the instinct of his friend. Shunsui would do the same for him. It was the benefit of a millennial friendship. Several things already intrigued him in this affair. Nanao was a resourceful girl. To think that an enemy might have surprised and dominated the vice-captain!

"We are talking about Nanao-San. She is very observant and physiognomist usually."

"Yup, she knows the name and faces of each of my one nightstand better than I sometimes do."

"Well, that's not what I was referring too, but it illustrates my point. She has an excellent memory."

Shunsui nodded with the shadow of a proud smile. Jūshirō felt the proximity of Sentarou and Kiyone. The third seats followed the pair at a reasonable distance. Shunsui walked along the outer walkways of the division.

"That, my Nanao? Nothing escaped her. Were you taking a nap, Ju-chan? You look awful." Shunsui commented.

"Not at all. I was really bored and waiting for your call. The Seireitei has been quiet in recent weeks. I was starting to wonder when the sky will start falling on our heads again." Jūshirō said tongue-in-cheek.

"I was as impatient as you, my friend!" Shunsui added sarcastically. "I alerted Yama-jii. A warning note is circulating right now. All officers are requested to report any abnormal activity. But this is perhaps only an isolated and minor incident. I know we can dream. Your friends plan to follow us?"

Jūshirō motioned Kiyone and Sentarou to stay behind. Shunsui waved his hat in their direction.

"Do not worry! I will take good care of Ju-chan."

He barely finished this sentence that he grabbed Jūshirō by the collar of his haori and disappeared with him in the air. As they both flew over the roofs of the Seireitei, rather while Shunsui was dragging his frail carcass behind him, Jūshirō frowned, arms crossed.

"Are you pouting?"

"No."

"Liar, I can sense you are sulking."

"I hate when you do that!"

"This is the funniest way to travel I know."

"It would be ten times simpler if you had explained where we were going. I have feet."

"But it would be ten times less fun, Ju-chan. I am in favor of enjoying life for as long as we can. We're not getting any younger."

Nothing could counter such a good argument. Jūshirō grinned, content to enjoy the ride.

"I'm sure you have carefully thought up a strategy, but shouldn't we take some time to list all the books in the archives to know what book is missing..."

"I already put all my officers to it, this morning. It will be easy thanks to the thoroughness of Nanao's database system. I think we will know before the end of the day."

"I see, you really had time to nurture your anger. You show a lot of wisdom."

This was the moment that Kyouraku chooses to jump on the roofs of the towers of the four winds. Jūshirō screamed in surprise for a moment during their free fall, fearing a hard landing. Kyouraku landed nimbly before starting to run again.

"I am a pacifist, you know me."

"The one who touched Nanao-chan the other night?" Jūshirō asked, brushing a strand of white hair in front of his eyes.

"An unlucky bastard and A walking dead man to boot."

"I don't believe in coincidences, Shunsui."

"Me neither. Some shady things are happening. And as usual, it's up to the two most valiant and attractive captains of the Gotei 13 to discover what.

He jumped again without warning and this time let go. Although surprised, Jūshirō landed nimbly on the ground after an acrobatic pirouette on the bridge connecting the tower of Penance with the other towers. He paused, his hand on his heart, this time to catch his breath. These stunts were no longer his age. Shunsui put an arm around his neck with a sneer.

"Oh, what a coincidence! We are near Gin's! Look, there is light! The fellow must be home!"

Arms crisscrossed against his chest, Jūshirō shook his head in disapproval.

" Shunsui, the captain-general has formally forbidden to interfere with Gin's execution. He withdrew all visiting rights. Only Soi Fon and Hitsugaya can see him and conditionally."

" Who's talking about interfering? We are just passing by to say high because there is light!"

"Soi Fon ..."

" Soi Fon is a party pooper."

"I was just going to say that I learned by the merest chance that Soi Fon-Taicho went on a mission to the world of the living this morning."

" Oh! I see you have investigated this matter well."

"Vaguely."

" You were also planning to see him, Ju-chan, do not lie to me? When?"

The captain of the 13th division shrugged.

" Just after my nap."

A butterfly from hell swirled in front of them. Shunsui reached out, and the insect landed on the tip of his index finger. The butterfly delivered his message, and the brunet turned to the blonde with a solemn face.

"Kurosaki Ichigo has just reported the disappearance of his friend Orihime Inoue. Due to recent events, all division captains are called for an emergency meeting at sunset. One cannot deny that there is an air of déjà vu, Ju-chan."

He released the Jigokuchō. Jūshirō sighed sadly while Shunsui licked his lips. Their days of rest were counted.

" Why am I so unphased by this?" Shunsui said, arranging his flower-patterned coat on his shoulders.

"Because you somehow knew it was coming."

"I did, and I told you so as soon as Yamamoto said we should turn a page. Oh, it's good to be right!"

"I know. We must get to the bottom of these."

Forcing the guards to open the door did not prove to be an impossible task. It had just required a lot of negotiation and diplomacy on his part and a bit of duplicity and a lot of bluff on Shunsui's part. Therefore, they got a fifteen-minute reprieve from the guards.

Upon entering, he immediately sought to connect to the prisoner's reiatsu. Shunsui, by his side, kept his hand on his zanpakutō, just as he focused like him towards the source of the instable reiatsu. Jūshirō lowered his head to the floor a uniformly gray Sekisekki. It was littered with pieces of wood in the entryway. The whistling of the wind through the loopholes disturbed the peace brought up the creep factor.

"It's not really very lively around here," Shunsui commented.

Gin was in the center of the room, head upside down, balancing on his left hand. An esoteric symbol where his hands connected with the ground shined brightly. Gin's face remained neutral as if asleep. Only his pupils moved frantically behind his eyelids. He had no reaction to their presence. Jūshirō frowned.

"Enkeikuroryū." He said, his eyes wide with stupefaction.

"Impossible. His zanpakutō is sealed in the safe of the second division. It does not make sense ..."

" And yet ..."

After weeks of captivity in the main cell of Senzaikyū, Gin should have been unable to walk properly. Furthermore, he should have been unable to use such a technique. Enkeikuroryū was an old communication device where one had to concentrate their reiatsu circularly within their soul to block any loss of energy for a time. We were talking self-inducing comas and lowering of brain activities to the minimum. The influx of blood to the brain allowed disorientation and access to a transient state. Blocking the reiatsu required a lot of energy as anyone could imagine, so blocking a reiatsu in a room surrounded by sekisekki was something of a utopia. After a few minutes or a few hours depending on the case, -Being that some trances could last for days - it was possible to communicate on a different plane with one's zanpakutō in case of separation or loss.

The two friends stared at each other in disbelief. In all their lives, Shunsui and Jushiro had seen it practiced just once. They were both in their youth. They remembered the day they thought it would be funny to hide Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's cane from him. They gulped as they remembered finding it odd that the old man would merely lean on one hand, instead of chasing after them. It was less funny when he called forth and materialized his zanpakutō. Well, he beat them into a pulp with it afterward, but hey they survive to tell this story. This technique not only required a lot of mastery, but it also required a lot of spiritual pressure. It was remarkable! Remarkable and terribly scary! If wearing special handcuffs was not enough, the thick walls of Sekisekki currently surrounding them should have made Gin unable to attempt such madness.

"Do not look so surprised, Ukitake-san? It was just a try? Some of us are dreamers! There is nothing else to do in this wretched place anyway!"

The symbol stopped shining on the ground. A very localized earthquake shook the walls of the towers. Gin did a somersault backward to find his balance again and landed supply close to the window. The number one enemy of Soul Society watched the two captains behind the uneven bang of his gray hair. They just stared at him dumbfounded.

"I'm afraid Shinsō is too far away to hear me. Here, Gin Ichimaru has been rendered fangless by Sekisekki stones. Should be written on my grave. You will allow me to have a grave, right? After all of this… I mean it's the least you people can do. Oh! I can feel a migraine coming! I mean you owe me my last paycheck as a captain anyway! If it's a question of money, I have assets here and there! Meaning the rest of my notes can be sent to Kuchiki!"

No laugh. No snark. They continued to stare. Gin tilted his head to the sides with a frustrated sigh. They were a problematic crowd for nothing. Gin had no idea why his diversion was obviously not working, and these two seemed unwilling to let it go. Gin turned his back on them, revealing his scarred back with freshly open wounds like a bas-relief.

" Hey Shunsui, it's been a long time! How is Nanao-Chan?"

Jūshirō put a hand on Shunsui before his friend had time to move. Shunsui let go of the guard of his Zanpakutō but only because he knew Jūshirō had a plan. Gin frowned, noticing for the first time how tense the atmosphere was suddenly. Strange, he'd always considered being on somewhat good terms with these two.

"What is it? Did I say something wrong?" he asked, his eyes narrowed. His sly smile disappeared.

"It's up to you to tell us, Gin. We came looking for answers." Jūshirō explained.

* * *

**Gin Ichimaru**

Former captain of the third division of Gotei 13

Former commander of the Arrancar army of Aizen Sousuke.

Lover of Matsumoto Rangiku

For this henchman of the Devil, rebellious shinigami, and pure product of Inuzuri, Rukongai, it was a day like any other, it was even sunny.

* * *

Black.

A single drop of water diluted in a puddle of carmine blood. It had stopped raining in his world. So, Gin let himself be hypnotized for a few minutes by the thin lines undulating on the surface of the expanse of water. In the distance, on dry land, two men were fighting on the hill around a piece of bread, hollows were hiding like scorpions in the sands, an army of faceless skeletal soldiers was getting ready on a mound. A few adjuchas were surrounding a plus like a pack of wolves. Another man was sitting seemingly bored on what reminded Gin of Aizen's throne in Hueco Mundo. On his right, another man was burying another. His inner world was always swarming like a beehive.

A new drop diluted in the sea of coagulated blood.

Gin was fully aware that navigating in his mind unarmed was the boldest idea he had ever had. But after betraying Gotei 13, he fully assumed the solecism of his own ideas. Shinsō was in the second division vault: The Shihouin vault. It's not like it was easy to materialize his zanpakutō spirit in such a chaotic environment. In a few seconds, the expanse of water opened a path for him, and he was on land again.

A breeze swept his hair over his face. He walked for far too long without encountering one living talking thing. He was surrounded with ghosts for the most part. Yet, he couldn't interact with most of them. The only fun part was that he was journeying in his inner world, an archipelago of luxurious islands surrounded by an ocean of blood. A katana brushed the back of his skull, missing Gin at the last minute. Hmm ...

"Die. I'm not going to let you hurt him!"

He just smiled at the faceless woman in front of him. He did say that most of them were the harmless kind, the keyword being "most." The wind blew in his white yukata. His long silvery mane blew on his face. She remained standing before him, without eyes, without a nose, without a mouth, with nothing to distinguish her from the other ghosts, except she was the lady with the Katana. She was always packing, wicked strong and dangerous. He could sit there and watch her all day. For a while, he did just that. Most of his moves, she taught him.

Gin lowered his head to his hands. He closed his eyes before opening them again. He found a field orange Indian rose, a symbol among many of his years spent in the Third Division. It just floated in the waves toward his feet.

For an indefinite time, the wind hissed in the barren valley. He reached out to offer the Indian Rose to the woman without a face. She disappeared with a huff, offended. Gin moved into space again as quickly as the light. He stood on another atoll. A herd of Menos Grande was going to drink in the blood lagoon.

"You should have killed her." A girl with white hair sat next to him. Just like that woman, she had no face, not even lips. Her hair was thin, very long and seemingly soft. It was her only discernable trait, that and the fact she had bangs just like him.

"That's your answer to everything, Doll."

"Look who's talking…" She pointed sarcastically at the blood red lagoon surrounding the island.

"I'm just stating the obvious, Sunshine? We've been having this conversation for a couple of centuries now. I got you."

"Whose fault is it? You don't remember that woman. You don't even remember me. What a girl to do in order not to be ignored?"

She said stretching next to him.

"Well, you look absolutely stunningly creepy without a face. It's not like I can ignore you. But to be fair, I don't remember most of my shags, love."

"You're funny."

"You're lost, aren't you darling? Did I kill you or something?"

"It's funny how you wanna save that girl so bad when you're just like her. I guess that's what makes her so special. You're here again for her, and I found it endearing. You are almost grown."

"I sense some jealousy."

"We were born from jealousy and greed. So, what can I say? You got me, aniki? You found me out!"

"You call everybody aniki, I bet."

"True, I love watching the seeds of their lust grew in their tiny hearts before I crushed all their hopes."

"You're a fuck I wish I remember and that's a compliment!"

"This is so stupid and insane! You will die, you know that? You're dying right now. I am watching you die… You make me watch just like him."

"Well, when we have to go…"

"Gin. He is inside of you. His heart. You're not supposed to die. People like us are not supposed to."

"People like us?"

"Yes, people like us."

"I don't care about living or dying. I never gave a fuck. I don't even care about you, love. And I know that you know that, and it must sting because just like that woman you always take the time for a chat."

"We know what's important to you. You care about Rangiku. You care about her smile and protecting her heart. I'm only saying be careful not to let yours without a defense."

"Is that a threat?"

She stood up at last and only shrugged in answer.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to play hide and seek with a Supernova. You know the usual."

Tilting her head on the side, she stretched some more.

"Not sure Daddy will approve."

He had no idea why he said that. Everything about that conversations reeked of already seen moments and hidden innuendos. Gin had a few nicknames for this one, most notably she was "the moon lady" because the moon always appeared when she was there. He stared at the sky who was dark with a crescent moon.

"Well, you cannot be more on point on this one, onii-chan. But you know us we like to live dangerously. It's in our blood."

"I guess this is goodbye."

"You're the last of us, Gin. You were always supposed to be the last one standing."

Gin was about to say something when he realized she was gone, and he was alone again. He stared at the field of Indian roses for a few minutes. He was exhausted as if he'd travel all day. But this scenery, he could enjoy. Few people knew that Ichimaru Gin was born with green thumbs. He could grow flowers as efficiently as he could slice throats. He just didn't get to enjoy this skill enough he thought. Something cold and scaly brushed his ankle. A gigantic tail of Anaconda wrapped around him without him being able to see the end, its rings wriggled in the air. The giant Cobra-headed snake with a fox nose showed its hooks. Gin continued to smile.

"Why do you refuse to put an end to all those people's miserable existence, master? Your inner world is so crowded with ideas and ghosts of the past. It is unsightly."

The Manifestation of his zanpakutō asked.

"Because I don't know them! I don't know any of these people, and you gotta admit it's funnier that way. I like how lively he can be around here."

"It's creepier you mean."

"Same thing. Same thing."

"You're more sentimental than I thought."

"I keep telling everybody, Shinsō."

"You don't have a heart, do you master?"

Gin's smile grew louder.

"Still I am a very generous guy."

"Well, my guess is there are remnants of the past, not quite memories. They are no blanks for sure. Too sophisticated. Anthropologically speaking they respond to certain patterns but demonstrate an unusual amount of free will and spontaneity since some of them, you can interact with so we could say…"

"Shinsō-san, you're too smart for the rest of us. I am not here for a class."

"You don't care?" Ginsō asked.

"Not the slightest."

Gin turned his head to a replica of himself with long silver hair and ivory complexion. His eyes without a pupil reminded him of Tōsen. Symbolically speaking, he did not know why his alter-ego had such a handicap. He could not help thinking that he had a pretty face with or without pupils. Did that make him a narcissist? Ginsō planted the revealed the Shikai of his zanpakutō in the sandy soil to lean on, nonchalantly. Gin admitted he could never take such a cool pose as this in real life with Shinsō, so he was quite envious of the hollow.

"I guess this is a trap," Ginsō said.

Gin nodded enthusiastically, but Shinsō was the one to ask.

"How long have you been waiting for us to show up, if you don't mind me asking, Master?"

"Time is different for everybody. A couple of hours or an entire day I cannot tell. I did not mind. It ain't like they leave me with a lot to do here. So, no harm done! I forgive you guys for not showing up earlier."

Ginsō and Shinsō looked at each other worriedly. Shinsō swallowed hard.

"Well, I know you attracted us here…"

"Of course you would know! Like I said, you're so smart!"

" Well, hear me then when I tell you this is the silliest stupidest most idiotic idea you've ever had."

"Sounds like fun to me."

Gin nodded again.

"What does the master want?" Ginsō said.

"He wants to see her!" Shinsō replied in his place with a grimace of disgust.

"Who? Haineko? Is he crazy? This bitch will not let us in!"

"But it's possible, is it not?" Gin asked.

Illogically, the dunes on the beach moved without the help of the wind and his universe made a 360 ° revolution around him. He turned to face Ginsō. He preferred never to turn his back on his hollow if he could avoid it. He still wondered why he had accepted Aizen to experiment with him with the Hōgyoku. Kaname had accepted so eagerly. It would have seemed suspicious to refuse. He almost broke the thing. The hōgyoku, he means. To be more precise, the machine of hollowfication latched to it.

When he entered the machine, there was a shortcut of energy, then a blackout and it could never be confirmed what was done to him at that time. He just knew he had the worst headache in his life and ungracefully heaved the content in his stomach on poor Szayel Apporro! It had been the first time in three centuries! Last time, he remembered getting sick because Ran made beetroot soup and roasted frogs with apple bread. You heard all that right! To be fair, Ginsō and him had always been acquainted much like the girl with the oedipal complex for as long as he could remember. But after that little incident, he started taking a lot more space. He didn't know if Shinsō knew, but Ginsō was digesting a lot of the so-called ghost behind his zanpakutō spirit's back. Since they became so chummy, he was not sure knowing they each hunted on the other's territory would be the most welcome news. They were both easily offended.

It seemed necessary to admit at this point that sometimes the very idea of having a hollow inside him disgusted him as much as the idea that the first woman without face could be his mother. But hey, since nobody knew for sure. The ghosts appeared and regularly disappeared in his nightmares. He was content to reign supreme over this little world and avoided asking questions. If he trusted Kaname's testimony, his hollowfication was a failure unlike his, and Kaname's description of his inner world could put to sleep anybody on acids and vitamin D.

Well, again, the finality was Gin couldn't give more of a fuck.

Whatever Aizen said, he firmly believed that there was a border. There was a limit of knowledge that his brain could record. There was a limit to his reiatsu. Even if in both cases, these limits were placed under the horizon. More than to prove his loyalty, it was the idea of being able to push those limits a little further that had seduced him. Seriously, how can one say no to that? Pushing those boundaries was like getting closer to Aizen who did not know any better. It was keeping him at arm's length. It was necessary. Nevertheless, he was relieved he'd never transform into an ugly motherfucker because of that fucked up lapse in judgment like that whiny bitch Tōsen.

Ginsō lowered his head in fear.

He also always made sure everyone remembers who runs what here. There was only one master. It was him. Without a clearly defined chain of command, an organization will die after sometimes. Yamamoto-Sōtaicho had taught him that.

Shinsō hissed again before disappearing into the confines of a white sand dune before reappearing behind him, his mouth a few inches from his ear.

" Why would you go see that slut?

Shinsō took good care to extend his "s" to support his point of view. He hated Haineko with renewed passion every day. His most cherished wish would be to attend the funeral of Rangiku Matsumoto. Would it be granted before Gin passed away? Nothing was less certain these days. But he kept hoping.

"I do not like the tone you use, Shinsō." Gin warned, still smiling.

The Serpent leaped in the air again, forming a perfect arc over his head for a moment before landing in the sand. Ginsō burst out laughing and raised his arms in appeasement.

"Let's all calm down! See, I'm sure Shinsō did not really mean it. Ran-chan is special, we like her. Really. We'd like to tear her apart sometimes, but those are simple natural urges, Gin. We can't help it. Let's all be friends!"

Gin did not like at all the way Ginsō was putting it. See, what he meant earlier by his zanpakuto and his hollow being as thick as thieves. Shinsō resurfaced. He balanced hypnotically from left to right.

"When a shinigami and his zanpakutō are critically wounded on the battlefield, sometimes his zanpakutō watches over his soul. The shinigami then returns to stasis. This process is called Kanzensaisei, "absolute regeneration." All zanpakutō do not demonstrate such ability. This is reserved for shinigami with huge potential, a shinigami who has completed Bankai for example. Kanzensaisei can take different forms, often, it means the Shinigami gets to live happily in his inner world forever."

"Forever? Meaning she will never wake up."

"I did use the word 'often' and not the word 'always'."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning how should I know?"

"You're useless! So, it's possible." Gin concluded. "It is possible that she is not in a simple coma. I saw her zanpakutō move when I was with her. Obviously, Haineko is aware for two."

Ginsō pointed the nodachi on the sides. He stretched out infinitely.

"Enkeikuroryū. The circular path, which you are using right now, was not created to do this. Call me instead or Shinsou… Call whoever, and we'll come to you. We'll get rid of the guards. We'd go find her and take her body away. "

"Is it possible, Shinsō?" Gin insisted. Like he'd trust that hollow!

Shinsō stopped and put his large head on his master' shoulder. Again, his zanpakutō spirit took a scholar's approach.

"If Rangaku's fate were tied to that of her zanpakutō, that would not be good news. This would mean that their physical separation could lead to her death in a few hours. It is impossible for another shinigami to interfere. It's pointless."

Gin nodded, smiling.

"I understand, Shinsō-san. It's very clear now."

"You're still going to do something stupid, are you not!"

Ginsō growled, pointing the nodachi at him.

"Gin, you're exhausting a whole lot of energy for nothing. We could run away. We could even fight. We could get out of this place! We could kill them all. Annihilate the Gotei 13! And burn Soul Society to the ground! Imagine that fire! For what they did to Rangiku! They could all pay! If you call me! If you ask… I will make it happen…"

Gin stopped the lengthening of the nodachi with one hand. Shinsō hissed and stepped out of these two's way.

"The hybrid is right! You stand no chance if you want to try this folly..."

Gin swiveled again.

" You are both…in my way." He said simply.

Ginsō leaned forward, looking dumbfounded. Gin climbed quickly to the top of a dune.

"I'm bleeding here! I do not have all day!" He shouted to both.

Both materialized at his side.

"You wanna do this why exactly! You will never get to touch her again! Ok, it's a hell of a good fuck! But god, we lived well without her all those years! You made a sacrifice then! You knew what was important! I'm sorry Master. I wish you understand that you two were dead a long time ago! She will never forgive you for what you did! You are dead to her. You've been dead for so long! You need to chill!"

"Hum! Do yourself a favor, master! If you really want to join her, speed up the process and hang yourself in that fucking cell! It's exactly as if you wanted to commit suicide!

Gin stared at the horizon.

"He thinks we're lying Shinsō? I cannot believe! He believes we are lying?" Ginsō said indignantly. "After all we did for you? Who do you think You Are ?"

Gin evaluated the distance one hand above his eyes.

"I do not think you're lying. I know you are lying. I would lie to myself in such a situation. Like I said I'm bleeding here and on a schedule!"

Shinsō hissed in frustration.

"It's impossible to talk to him in these conditions! I want to kill some things! Anything will do! Because I don't fucking, want to end it here!"

"You'll never reach Haineko because you're too weak. Your hand, it's shivering."

"Give me the zanpakutō, I'll show you!"

"You are crazy! You lost your mind, Gin! Tell him Shinsō! Let him hear reason! You barely have enough reiatsu to keep you here. It's lucky that you can stay here. It's lucky you could call us."

"Give me my zanpakutō!"

"If it's true that all zanpakutō are linked. That is a universal truth most people ignore. But This bitch Haineko will never let you see Rangiku. We have all our prerogatives, and hers would be to protect her master. She would protect Ran-chan even from us."

"Especially from us."

Gin said nothing. The landscape changed again to leave room for the vast emptiness. A black pit of thought ... Mirrors here and there like the pages of a photo album, Gin offering Rangiku dried persimmons ... Gin seeing Aizen for the first time hidden in a thicket ... Gin facing Shinsō for the first time ... Dressed like a little devil, Gin was torturing his hollow with a smile ... Gin facing Ichigo in Karakura ...

"We cannot protect you once you get there. Afterward, you will be on your own." Shinsō and Ginsō said.

He opened his eyes. They were a cerulean blue. His smile disappeared shortly after that. Ginsō recoiled slowly and moved away. He handed him the wakizashi, shaking his head fearfully. Between Gin's fingers, the sword extended again. He got into position and closed his eyes. A circle of white energy appeared under his feet.

" Nothing says that you can find her either... You can find yourself connected with any zanpakutō you have been close to. Kyouka Suigetsu, for example.

The circle of energy widened, and all the cells of his body boiled, trembling with impatience. He just needed to know she was fine. He did not even need to talk to her, just catch a glimpse of her ... It was enough for him to concentrate ... The circle grew crumbling and breaking some memories in passing.

A migraine twisted his temples.

He pointed Shinsō in front of him and guided his nodachi. The snake came wrapping around his arm and body. A pool of blood formed at his feet. He resisted the force that wanted to bend Shinsō.

"Ikorose, Shinsō."

With one exception, Gin was the kind of Shinigami that always get what he wanted. The snake contracted around him, grinding his ribs. He could not breathe. It was all in his head the way Shinsō constricted his ribcage.

He persisted ... despite the pain... Until he literally saw the end of the tunnel ...

_"Gin?"_

She...

_"It's you?"_

Her voice ... She was taking his breath away.

_"You are alive? Gin, how? How did you get here? Gin! talk to me! You're bleeding ... Oh no, you're bleeding! What happened Gin?"_

He widened his eyes, his eyes blurred with tears of blood. There was only nothingness before him. He was bleeding. Where? Everywhere? There was not a single orifice spared by the deluge of blood. Where was she?

_"Haineko! Stop! Gin! talk to me! Please! Haineko!_

He could not speak. Was it because he could not find the words... Was it because Shinsō was hugging him so hard that he could barely breathe ... Was it because he was dying?

_" Ran ... Rangiku?"_

_Gin!_

He was losing ground.

_Come back! Gin! Don't leave! Please! Stay with me! I'm not mad. I forgive you!"_

"Do not cry Ran-chan!" He would have wanted to tell her. But nothing came out. He was losing control.

_Do not leave me again! Gin! Gin Ichimaru don't leave me!_

The change of reiatsu in the air was brutal. Two foreign Reiryoku entered the cell, disrupting the fragile balance of energies and Gin fell.

He fell hard. Rangiku's cries echoed in his head ... Until ... He was submerged by the flow of his own thoughts and struggled for a few minutes in the black liquid of awareness. He was drowning without any strength left.

"It's not really lively around here. But what is he doing?"

"Enkeikuroryū."

"It's impossible. His zanpakutō is sealed in the safe of the second division. It does not make sense ..."

"And yet ..."

He opened his eyes, panting. With an effort, Gin did a somersault backward. For a whole minute, he concentrated his energy on the ground in order to stay upright.

"Do not look so surprised, Ukitake-san? People can try? I'm afraid I'm not strong enough! We have the right to dream! There is nothing else to do in this wretched place!

He watched the two captains behind his gray hair.

"I'm afraid Shinsō is too far away to hear me. Here, Gin Ichimaru has been rendered fangless by Sekisekki stones. Should be written on my grave. You will allow me to have a grave, right? After all of this… I mean it's the least you people can do. Oh! I can feel a migraine coming! I mean you owe me my last paycheck as a captain anyway! If it's a question of money, I have assets here and there! Meaning the rest of my notes can be sent to Kuchiki!"

He tilted his head to the sides with a new sigh and narrowed his lips in a smile. No smile. He saw the two oldest Gotei captains exchange puzzled looks. Gin turned his back on them, his bare bust facing the wind. In truth, there was not a part of his body spared by pain like a mountain just rolled onto him. He had been on the verge of touching his goal. He looked at the position of the sun. It took him the whole day. Enkeikuroryū. He stealthily wiped the trickle of blood flowing from his nostrils. And while he was at it, he rubbed his ears too. Hmm, it was really more complicated than the brochure let it appear. For a moment, unbeknownst to anyone, black ink colored his cerulean pupils. He looked alien. There was blood on his gum also. He bared his teeth. His canine seemed very prominent. His skin became even more pallid. Gin licked his dry lips. He could use some food. As soon as the thought came, his eyes cleared instantly, and his features returned to normal.

" Shunsui-san, how long has it been? How is Nanao-chan? He asked to fill the silence.

He glanced back. With his hand on his zanpakutō, Shunsui seemed about to behead him. Hum! It was not the reaction that Gin had expected. He frowned. What other misdeeds they were going to put on him this week? He narrowed his eyes. What did a poor guy without reiatsu have to do in this condition? Licking his own blood in the corner of his lips, he let out an even broader smile. Jūshirō suddenly put a hand on the shoulder of the captain of the eighth division. It had the merit of capturing his attention. Shunsui had never been his biggest fan, but he had never done anything to provoke the wrath of the man with the Sakat. The latter usually shared his sense of humor. They even had a few drinks in the past.

"What is it? Did I say something wrong?" he asked, his eyes still inaccessible.

"It's up to you to tell us, Gin. We came looking for answers." Jūshirō explained.

He tilted his head to the side. His hair, which had not been cut for several months, came back into his eyes. With his eyes closed, he could still feel the ground slipping under his feet. He took another step forward. Seeing him stagger, Jūshirō immediately approached to help him. But Shunsui held him back. The danger was too real to allow them to let their guard down. Gin leaned against the wall, fixing the ground.

"This is a complicated and dangerous technique that Enkeikuroryū. You're lucky to still be alive."

Gin shook his head nonchalantly. Even if he died earlier than planned, he was doomed to die anyway.

"Earlier, what did I say, Shunsui?"

"Nanao was attacked last night. Do you have an idea who did it?" Shunsui asked straight.

Gin suppressed a sneer. The bracelet absorbed another greedy cup of reiatsu in its circuit. The pain came to locate under his brow. Standing up monopolized all the energy that remained in him.

"I see."

"You see?"

"I did not want, but it was stronger than me. Nanao-chan has always had a special place in my heart. I confess. I sinned."

Jūshirō and Shunsui exchanged another look. Shunsui let go of the guard of his zanpakutō and burst out laughing. Gin looked up and smiled.

"It happened last night? Unless you have a short memory, I do not have the power to cross walls."

"But you can get in touch with your zanpakutō despite Sekisekki stones and the Shihouin Vault."

He wiped his nose furtively again.

"It was a good way to pass the time. But like I said, I failed. It's impossible."

"Your spiritual power has always been out of the ordinary. You finished the academy in one year. I remember… You remain a prodigy."

"Yes! Nobody has ever been able to match that record." Shunsui added.

"Stop! Stop! You flatter me! It's not very nice to make fun of me! I am not a prodigy, nor a wall-pass."

Gin successfully suppressed a grunt. He was on the verge of throwing up his guts on the floor. It was not the best time for a courtesy visit. They must make this quick.

"We have just learned that Orihime Inoue had been abducted from her home last night. Do you think it's a coincidence?

Gin shrugged and wiped her nostrils again in a rag.

"I don't ask myself the question. I will be executed in a few days. I'm just wondering what I'm going to wear on that day."

"Gin ..."

"We can always imagine it. There are lots of strange things here when it's the full moon. What do I know? I said everything I knew to Soi Fon. I gave her all the intelligence I had."

Strangely, Jūshirō was the one who lost patience the fastest.

"It's not a game, Gin! Innocent lives are at stake! You know perfectly well why we came? Did Aizen have a plan B? A backup strategy in case its merger with the Hōgyoku would not work!"

Gin frowned, lifting one eyebrow in surprise.

"I don't know."

"I don't believe a word!"

He opened his icy blue eyes. He had rarely seen Jūshirō get angry.

"You always assume that he trusted me! He never did!"

"Is it you they want? Are you the plan B?" Shunsui inquired.

"You must be kidding me. That would surprise me very much. I do not have a fan club out there."

"We need a straight answer."

"It's not impossible, but I wouldn't know about it. I just attempted Enkeikuroryū, remember. Like I would have done that if I knew the cavalry was coming? Are you stupid?"

"And this plan …"

"I look altruistic like that. But I assure you that I don't care what happens to all of you."

"Your death was not inevitable! You speak as if your actions have earned a reward! I tried to get you off death row, but you did not help me much, right? Why do you so much want to ruin your death after wasting your life? Do you have no honor? Death is an important passage, and if you don't have what it takes to accept it and to deal with it, you will never find peace.

Jūshirō was losing his temper again, and it was not good for his health, Shunsui thought. He intervened with a sigh.

"Yare, Yare, I always thought you were a bad liar, Gin. But there, your bad faith goes far. It's her world. The world of the woman you love. A man sacrifices himself for the happiness of the woman he loves, does he not? It got me thinking earlier. I'm pretty sure you were not trying to reach your zanpakutō but hers, knowing that's even more impossible. That's the kind of insanity you've been known for since you were just a kid."

Gin swallowed hard.

"I'm right?"

Gin said nothing.

"A man does not let the one he loves fix his mistakes. Soul Society. It's... the world you chose to defend at your own risk against Aizen for her. So, I know you care."

Gin let out a new, disturbing smile. He shook his head, but in doing so, his headache redoubled to the point that opening his eyes was no longer an option. So, he was squinting even harder.

"I know you did that for love."

Why did he do what? For who? Gin could not focus anymore. Jūshirō continued.

"You have a chance to choose the right path. You have a chance to do what's right for her, Gin. You know what will happen if Aizen retrieves his freedom."

Gin swallowed again.

"There is one person who probably received additional instructions. He's the only one to have led secret missions without going through Kaname or myself. He is dead. Slayed by a pissed off substitute shinigami."

"Who?"

"Ulquiorra Schiffer? That's it? It was in Byakuya's debrief."

Gin nodded weakly towards Shunsui.

"Seeing how he's all dead now, I don't think you have anything to fear from him. But Aizen often gave him missions ... He was the only damn Espada to have the respect of the chain of command. Ulquiorra intrigued him. He liked his chronic inability to feel the most basic emotions ... He was loyal to boot. I almost thought he was going to give in to temptation with Ichigo's girlfriend. She sent him all kind of mixed signals. Just for fun, I used to check on them all the time on the surveillance camera."

"Orihime Inoue?"

"In short, she was his charge. If he were still alive, I would say that you still have a problem. He is a powerful warrior. Reading one of Aizen's secret reports, I discovered that he was the only Espada to have two resurrections. He also has massive regeneration capabilities. But he is too smart to be stalked easily. There is an inhibitor chip of Hollow reiatsu. It's one of his favorite gadgets. It fits in a necklace or bracelets ..."

Gin took a few uncertain steps towards the window.

"Yes, Kurotsuchi talked about it. The last Hueco Mundo raid did not give much in terms of technological progress. Szayel Apollo's laboratory was programmed to self-destruct, and the control room was no longer functional. The twelfth division is still restoring the databases. The palace was practically empty. The remaining arrancars had fled. The Espadas have all lost their lives with a few exceptions. We did not find the trace of Grimmjow JeaggerJacques. Nelliel Tu, the former number 3 has been let go, her present form presenting no immediate threat."

"Hum ..."

Gin wiped his face again in the rag. A drop of blood fell on the floor.

"The chip is programmed to inhibit spiritual pressure. It works by frequency. It changes every day as a safety measure, but the network destroyed ... The frequency must always be the same. This limits the searches. If I wanted to find the trace of Orihime and her kidnapper. I would look for the right frequency to track them down."

His headache was getting worse. For a few seconds, he felt the ground move under his feet. He narrowed his eyes firmly and swallowed the wave of nausea that threatened to overwhelm him at all costs. He winced.

"I'm ... a little ... I'm not throwing you out ... But I must lie down. That's all I know. I really have to ..."

The two captains looked at each other at the same time and they nodded.

"All right, that will be all."

"We have to go anyway. Gin, do you…" Jūshirō shouted, looking worried.

"I want to stay alone."

Shunsui and Jūshirō left the room. The door creaked as it closed. Gin recorded this detail vaguely before collapsing on the stone floor, face down. Eyes wide open, he remained smiling for a few minutes bathed in his own blood. It was all worth it! He muttered to no one in particular.

The door opened again, Jūshirō had gone back. He bowed humbly.

"Ha! What you told us helped us a lot. Thank you, Gin. Gin?"

Jūshirō took a few steps into the room. The ground turned a crimson color in a matter of seconds.

"Shunsui?! Call Unohana! Gin? He is no longer breathing! Stay with us! Gin!"

* * *

**Next chapter: Live Together or Die Alone ...**


	15. Live Together, Die Alone

* * *

**Renji Abarai**

Captain of the ninth division

Friend of Kuchiki Rukia and a bunch of people

Once upon a time, a baboon realized that the Moon itself was chasing after the Sun.

* * *

Renji no longer jumped out of his skin when Hisagi called him Taicho in an awkward mix of familiarity and formality. He was not surprised either when the members of his division strayed from his path in respect. In fact, he was deliberately slowing down to parade longer in his new sleeveless captain Haori.

After some unsuccessful attempts, punctuated by peals of laughter for Rukia and impatient sighs for Hisagi, Renji finally found a look he was proud to show off. Gone was his casual pineapple-shaped ponytail. No, the new captain Renji Abarai, wore his flamboyant mane untamed like a Lion. Well, maybe not like a lion, more like a purring kitten, but you got the idea. He still trained and maneuvered with his squad, wearing a lower ponytail. His hair has grown a couple of inches in the past few months which helped a lot. He wore the standard sleeveless uniform of the ninth division, like a true adventurer. It perfectly suited his tribal warrior tattoos. Rukia, who told anyone who would listen that she studied fashion in the world of the living in the pages of a couple of teen magazines, had found a black and white keffiyeh that he regally wore around his neck like an individual of his acquaintance. It was with confidence that he pushed the doors of the first division meeting room and sided with the captain of the sixth division without a glance at the latter.

Byakuya Kuchiki did not comment on his new outfit and did not even blink, to tell the truth, staring ahead, looking just as bored as he always looks. It's not like Renji expected him to comment or anything. He knew his old captain was barely in a greeting mood as it was. But that was okay since Renji no longer sought his approval to live his life. It finally sank in that he made it. He was a captain too. He was their equal and even Kuchiki Byakuya couldn't dispute this claim if he wanted to.

Renji peeked quickly in the direction of the sixth squad captain. He seemed a lot more serene than during the last meetings, but he may be wrong there. Kuchiki Byakuya was a difficult book to read. However, the irritation in his gray eyes seemed to have been replaced by other things. To Renji, he always seemed preoccupied, but it's like it reached another level. The door slammed loudly, and the captain of the Fifth Division rushed to join them at the center of the room. She exchanged a few words with Captain Komamura, and he seemed immensely pleased with what she said, something about her working on a new meat pie recipe and him having the honor to taste it first. Renji frowned, feeling a slight peak of jealousy, he would have gladly served as a guinea pig if she had asked. Suki threw a "Hisashiburi" in their direction and waved her hand in the air frantically.

"Oh! Abarai-Taicho! I made your favorite dessert for tonight! It's your special day! I love housewarming parties! Don't worry we didn't tell anyone like promised; it will be just Momo and me! We will bring tons of refreshments! You don't need to worry about anything, and you look dashing by the way!" She whispered loudly.

Renji couldn't help but grin at her clumsiness. Yes, Suki-Taicho wasn't the most subtle creature. But she was pretty easy-going, and she could cook up a storm if you asked nicely. Although to be truthful, Housewarming parties were not fully sanctioned by the Sōtaicho. But when he saw Shuhei crashed into his desk depressed, and Kira publishing more and more of his bad poetry, he believed it was his responsibility to do something. So he talked with Rukia who recited all the reasons they should absolutely not do this. When she reached the part about Matsumoto being in the coma, she, albeit inadvertently, completely sold the idea to Renji. Matsumoto was the life of any party, she was the queen, and what better ways to send good vibes to their sick friend and expressed how much they all miss her than to bring the house down in her honor. Except they couldn't exactly call it that, it sounded way too morbid. But he was a newly appointed captain with newly lavishly furnished living arrangements, and this called for a celebration. So, he reached out to Kira, Shuhei, and Madarame, and just like he thought they were all pretty stocked with the idea of stuffing their faces with snacks and sake while chilling in yukata with friends.

Maybe not Kira, but he always took longer than everybody else to get in the mood of a party. No worries there! Renji called on Yumichika next for decoration advice, and he was overheard by Kenpachi who said he would come if he made sure they had Suki-chan's candies because Yachiru couldn't live without them. Kenpachi called Komamura and the seventh squad. Fortunately, Renji could stop the gravy train before Iba reached out to Sentarou and Kiyone. If he hadn't done that, who knows how many people he would have to accommodate. His captain quarters were quite nice, but it was no Kuchiki mansion. When he told Rukia what he had done, she merely shrugged with a maniacal grin. So he was pretty confident she was in too. It was on. All they had to do was to be discreet enough so the Sōtaicho didn't suspect a thing and they would all be good to go. Except for the fact, the eighth division was burglarized last night, and they've all been called for an emergency meeting to deal with this. So he was pretty nervous now.

Byakuya, standing beside him, didn't lose one minute of his exchange and for reasons unknown to Renji, his mood had shifted to pure annoyance. He glared in their direction. It was subtle and all coming from the noble, his face remained neutral, and he didn't comment. But Renji hadn't worked with him all those years without picking up a few things about the habit of lord Kuchiki.

"Party pooper much?" Suki whispered again.

She noticed too. Suki-chan was even more astute than he thought. Byakuya remained indifferent. So what if Renji and that woman had grown incredibly close over the past few weeks? Byakuya had promised himself that nothing that this woman would do in the future would reach him.

Renji nodded in her direction, and they chuckled together. No, Byakuya will not comment on their sudden familiarity. He was simply going to pretend that she didn't exist. He had to do that once for one Shihouin Yoruichi, so he knew he could be pretty damn good at it. Byakuya refused to let Keikosuki Ichinose enter his field of vision.

True story. A couple of weeks back, when Renji knocked on Suki Ichinose's door and knelt down in front of the Chef to thank her on behalf of his entire division for her "Supremely awesome heavenly goodness Taiyakis!", Renji made a loyal ally with a certain Suki-chan for life. The alliance between the ninth division and the fifth division was again forged, and this time it had nothing to do with a plot to destroy the world. Suki-chan and Renji had quickly found a few topics of interest around their cup of tea, they both found Kuchiki-Sama boring to death, and they also felt both unfairly persecuted and underappreciated by him.

For a brief moment, Renji saw his former captain peeked in the direction of the young woman again. Why was he acting so weird? Oh! She was jumping up and down now happily as Sasakibe told her that Yamamoto agreed to study again her idea of opening a cooking school. He saw Byakuya shook his head in disapproval. For the latter, there was no way the universe was going to accommodate the whims of this frivolous creature.

The arrival of the captain-general interrupted all the conversations. The old man did not really look in an amiable mood. Embarrassed looks were exchanged between Shunsui and Jūshirō. Okay, it seemed rather serious. Renji frowned. Maybe the party will have to wait.

"I demanded the presence of all captains because of the severe nature of the matter at hand."

Unlike the ordinary, the old man did not sit on his chair and took a few steps in the center of the room.

" First, it is important to address the elephant in the room."

Suki looked everywhere searching for a big elephant. An elephant she imagined cleaning Yamamoto's precious china with its trump while wearing an adorable pink skirt. But there was no elephant at all, and she seemed to be the only one saddened by the realization. She loved elephants, but she hated being lied to.

"Some of you have thought it best to disobey my orders and went to see Ichimaru Gin behind my back. And even though I am going to be extremely intransigent in the future, I am happy to announce that given the recent circumstances that I am ready to show some leniency."

He turned to Kyouraku and Ukitake who had the good sense of appearing respectively relieved and ashamed. Ukitake bit his lip. Unohana offered a smile to her two makeshift companions before Yamamoto's gaze landed on her. She lowered her head in return with a coy almost amused smile.

" Sorry, Retsu-san!"

Ukitake muttered, terribly embarrassed that they had dragged Unohana into this.

Yamamoto scanned him, silencing him.

"It should certainly not happen again, or I think I will make a necklace collecting your regrets, young people!"

Renji swallowed hard. There was enough spiritual pressure in the room to fry a healthy brain. He had never dealt with the Captain-General when he was in that kind of mood. Byakuya looked curiously at him. Renji seemed to be the one most inconvenienced by Yamamoto's outburst. He did not look that cool all of a sudden. But really, even though Yamamoto's anger did not seem to be heading against him, Renji had goosebumps.

Finally, Yamamoto-Sōtaicho continued on his way, resuming his speech. From what Renji had understood of the situation, after Hisagi had summed some part of it this morning, after Nanao-Fukutaicho's assault, Shunsui and Jushiro went to meet Gin Ichimaru for clues on the potential threat. They seemed to think it couldn't be a coincidence. They had found Gin in full communication with his zanpakutō. Renji refrained from putting a hundred exclamation points at the end of that sentence. There was just too much to digest about what, why, and how. Attempting to use Enkeikuroryū was already a risky attempt - one that students are cautioned against trying in their first year at the academy - to do so at the Senzaikyū was outright madness. Not to mention that technically, this should be impossible. Meaning he was currently having one of the most intense internal monologue of his life, the second one after questioning his own motivation while fighting Ichigo. We were talking Enkeikuroryū, something you only learn about in a book, in passing, with no how-to or advice on how it's actually done because the author itself had just heard about it being done and never actually seen it. That type of crazy shit! Why everyone looked so cool and collected about it! He was having an internal panic attack. He looked up and noticed everyone was staring in his direction. Was he having this conversation aloud? No. There was probably something written on his face. They turned back to Yamamoto.

"I'm just like you. I have no idea what this all means." Suki whispered, covering her mouth.

He couldn't help it. He was grateful to her and wanted to laugh, but Kuchiki-Taicho looked ready to choke him to death if he dared, so Renji schooled his features into looking just as bored as the noble. He winked in her direction. She giggled playfully.

So, back to Gin, in wanting to use his reiatsu in a Sekisekki tower at all costs, he collapsed in a puddle of gore after his chat with Jūshirō and Shunsui. Unohana had been called urgently and managed to revive him in extremis. She could not help, however, but make a few reservations about the possibility that Gin would be on his feet for his execution. Notice the irony there! It hadn't been lost on him.

"Alarming news also reached us early in the afternoon. Orihime Inoue was reported missing by Kisuke Urahara. She didn't report to her school which alerted her relatives ..."

Renji frowned.

" What? Again? Where was Kurosaki?"

The whole assembly remained suspended to his lips thinking he may be privy to pieces of information they did not have. Of course, Ichigo no longer had his powers. Renji groaned at his own stupidity. He could imagine very well the state of anxiety Ichigo may have been when he discovered their friend's disappearance. Yamamoto continued.

" Kurosaki Ichigo is the one who gave the alert. But unable to feel the presence of spiritual pressure due to the loss of his abilities, he had to turn to his allies, Yasutora Sado and Ishida Uryu. Finally, when they could not find her through the imprint of her Reiryoku, Kisuke Urahara inspected the apartment and concluded that she had been abducted. Traces of Reiatsu belonging to a shinigami have been found."

A shinigami? Nobody seemed surprised though. If there was one thing that Aizen Sousuke's betrayal had left behind, it was the notion that nothing was impossible and that one should expect everything from his enemies and the same from his allies. The only question that seemed to make its way into all their minds was when the enemy was about to hit again.

Yamamoto went on.

"Everything suggests that this event may be tied to the battery assault suffered by Ise-Fukutaicho. Fortunately, the vice-captain will recover quickly from her superficial injuries. But she has not been able to provide us with a detailed description of her attacker to this day. For now, that traitor couldn't be identified. Please, it is necessary to report any unusual unlawful behaviors to help the investigations. It is also of utmost importance that we discover what book is missing from the archives and what did our enemy wanted. I heard you already put your men to the task, Kyouraku-Taicho."

Kyouraku Shunsui nodded with a stern face.

"We will know more very soon, So-taicho. I promise."

Shunsui looks so serious all of a sudden. Renji didn't want to be in the shoes of the one who had dared touch a hair on Nanao-San's head. An unlucky bastard! Renji raised his hand politely, and every captain turned to him.

"Sōtaicho, I thought of organizing more frequent patrols with Captain Komamura’ seventh division, both day and night around Seireitei. If she is here, I am talking about Orihime; I hope we can find her faster that way."

Komamura approved.

"Yes, it's an excellent initiative, Abarai-Taicho. We have to assume the enemy will strike again. I want all our borders covered. Nothing comes in or comes out."

" In the report recounting her abduction at Las Noches, Hachigen Ushōda and Kisuke Urahara noted, that the powers of this human resembled Kido magic. Her Santen Kesshun allows her to activate a rejection barrier (Bakudō type) while her Sōten Kisshun allows her to heal any type of injury. This is one of the reasons why Aizen Sousuke would have chosen her initially." Manatsu Dengeki intervened

"It was also to divide our army into several fronts as they invaded Karakura." Ukitake noted.

Unohana nodded in return.

"Dengeki-Taicho is right to bring those events together. A short time has passed. The Seireitei is in full reconstruction mode." The fourth Squad captain said.

"Like I said. The notion of rejection in Kido can be used in a number of ways. I am afraid we cannot exclude the possibility she could lift a seal even partially. That means, with her, they can do considerable damages. That human girl is very dangerous. " The captain of the third division added pensively.

"Orihime would never do something like that." Renji countered.

"She may not have a choice, Abarai-Taicho."

"You said that like she is strong enough to free Aizen. Orihime can certainly do some amazing things, but she can't do the impossible!"

"She may not be able yet... and possibly they may look into finding a way to make her stronger as we speak... They could try to amplify her powers..."

"Like they can do that..." Renji groaned.

"Well, we're here because we don't know what they can or cannot do! So?" Manatsu sent a glare his direction and folded her arms in front of her. Checkmate. She got him there. All the captains were following their heated exchange with interest.

" So as long as she lived she may be a silent threat is what you wanna say..." Renji muttered, closing his fist in frustration.

"Well, I know she is your friend. But she is just a pawn in a chess game. Do you want to know what happens when the game is almost over?"

"He wouldn't let it happen. I wouldn't either."

"Ichigo Kurosaki has lost all his powers in the last war. So he is no use for us right now. He is a simple civilian."

"How can you be so cold?! He saved us! They both helped so much! You weren't there!"

"Well, I remember being part of the back-up plan, you are absolutely right. Some of us did have to work in the background, for you and your friend to play the heroes, so forgive me if I do have an opinion. "

"It's true Abarai-Taicho. Without Dengeki-Taicho's abilities to open a path in the Dangai. We may not have been able to come or even repatriate Ichigo to the world of the living sooner. She was instrumental in the fight."

"I am sorry, Dengeki-Taicho."

"No offense taken." She said coldly.

"She is just our friend."

" Yeah, you are all emotionally compromised, and you may not see clearly what must be done. So somebody has to stay level-headed and tell terrible truths. I volunteer. Sue me! I am sure the Captain-General fully understands where I'm coming from. Sometimes the best remedy is to cut deep into the roots of the problems."

"Orihime is not the problem. She is the most innocent girl I know. I can't believe you just said that... Like it's nothing to you..."

"Because it's nothing to me..."

"Abarai, Dengeki, instead of trying to find ways to kill our allies, we could maybe try to really locate these people. Who are they? What do they want?"

Komamura said tired of this debate.

Ukitake cut in.

"Before his collapse, Gin stated that someone among the Espadas might have received direct instructions from Aizen. He told us that they were not many Aizen trusted, but he may have told Espada Cuatro. Coincidentally he was the one who kidnapped Orihime the first time. Not much is known about the Espadas, except they've been known to have followers, disciples of sorts, Fraccions."

"You think he had those?" Shunsui frowned.

"Well... He is dead. What other explanations do we have? Also, I didn't know him personally. Byakuya and Kenpachi were the one in the field."

Byakuya stroke delicately the back of his hand.

"Well, Ukitake, we didn't report any of these because we had no prior knowledge of the social interactions between Espadas. It didn't matter what these creatures did in their spare time. Whether they had family or not... We were sent to assess the situation, kill as many as we could, clean the place to help Kurosaki and his friends' quest. Go home. We did just that."

"Byakuya's right for once?! Like it fucking matter at the time! You're fucking kidding me?! These weaklings were boring to death. It was a waste of time! You better ask Soi Foi why she is not done already with all of them?"

Byakuya frowned. Did that bloody ape just call him by his name? This meeting couldn't get worse. The other captains all turned to Soi Fon.

"The second division has been doing its best these past few weeks to find and kill any remaining arrancars."

"But you didn't find all your targets..." Shunsui said.

"Nope, she didn't," Kurotsuchi answered for her. " She has far to go to honor our deal. I mean I only received five specimens last week. That's unacceptable! The second division is a bunch of slackers! Their captain is no better if she tolerates that kind of behavior!"

"Let me tell you, Kurotsuchi, my fist in your smug face, or my foot in your ass, can very well make a point to show how much my squad is dedicated to the mission!"

"So, we have no serious lead! All you can think about is cashing and profit from the situation!" Komamura said indignantly.

"Everyone! Quiet!" Yamamoto shouted impatiently.

"I..."

They all turned to Ichinose, waiting for her to continue, hands clasped in front of her. She'd been so quiet until then many had forgotten she was there.

"May I remind everyone that our numbers have been greatly reduced. My division has lost most of its members. It's also the case of the third division. I think we are of the opinion that taking part in a major new conflict is not an option for us."

"What do you propose then?"

Renji turned to his former captain surprised at his interruption.

The captain of the Fifth Division looked up like a surprised doe in the middle of a dark, deserted road. Renji frowned. Huh? Apparently, he was not the only one to be in the line of fire of his former captain. There was a long pause during which Captain Ichinose monopolized the attention of the whole assembly. A finger on her mouth, she seemed to choose her words carefully. Byakuya sighed impatiently. He was sure she had nothing interesting to say.

" It is true that I am not really a fine strategist and little trained in the art of war. But there must be a way to take our enemies from course, a way to hit first and avoid a bloodbath. I don't know… "

Unohana approved the idea with a nod.

"It would be an excellent strategy, Ichinose-Taicho if we knew who we were dealing with and exactly where to hit," Byakuya told her sternly.

Renji remained speechless. That was kinda harsh. Suki bit her lips nervously and stared at the floor. This is called being put back in one's place. Renji thought. It was not necessarily what he said but the cold way he said it. He was more than sorry for the young woman. Byakuya Kuchiki could be merciless sometimes. Often. The captain of the sixth division turned his head towards Yamamoto while waiting for his answer, but it was Jūshirō Ukitake who intervened.

"I see a certain logic in the words of Ichinose-Taicho. Say we grow bold and we imagined she'd been kidnapped with someone who would use Ulquiorra Schiffer's M.O..."

Byakuya almost groaned amused. He was not surprised, Jūshirō could find logic in the behavior of the most simple-minded creature like someone could find a ray of hope just admiring a rainbow. This told them nothing. He was sure he was the only one seeing that woman for what she really was: An impostor.

"Gin told us about a chip that would serve to inhibit the reiatsu of hollows. Ulquiorra Schiffer used it the first time on the girl, allowing her to return to the real world for a few hours. With it, Arrancar may mask their presence in soul society or in the human world. We would make great progress if we could decode the frequency of these chips. We could hunt down Orihime's captors."

"It makes sense but why should we trust Gin Ichimaru? He tried Enkeikuroryū and ... "

Jūshirō did not answer. Renji took a deep breath.

" We have no other choice, right? It's not like he has a choice either. He is on death row." Renji said.

"To people like Gin and Tōsen, death doesn't mean anything."

Renji met Byakuya Kuchiki's somber gaze. The latter then turned his head towards Suki Ichinose. She was still contemplating the wooden floor.

"Agreed. The man is a patented liar. But even if it pains me to admit it, Gin will be executed in a few days; he has nothing to lose or to gain from lying. He doesn't owe any allegiance to Aizen… I also think we can trust this intel!" Hitsugaya finally cut in, arms crossed. He was nursing a brilliant headache.

" You were all born so late! I knew as soon as I heard the girl was missing that Urahara would be searching for a way to counter the inhibitor bracelets. I don't need Ichimaru to tell me that. I know Urahara is dumb enough to believe in the saying that lightning can strike twice. I can stoop to his level once in a while. I'm already working on the frequency in question and instead of wasting time on finding this frequency and decoding the Coded Arrancar database, I'm working on creating a frequency that can interfere with the system ... Needless to say, I've banned my division from drinking or eating until this project is completed. Anyone who will slow down the creation process will be executed. I'll be done in a few hours long before that fool of Urahara." Kurotsuchi cut in.

Several grimaces in the audience. Forbidden to drink and eat. The entire division! What cruelty! Suki Ichinose sniffed sadly, with tears in her eyes.

Soi Fon folded her arms against his chest and shrugged.

" It's useless to panic. The seal is still in place. There is no way those hollows can have access to it. Where he is, Aizen Sousuke is no longer able to harm Soul Society."

"And where is he?"

Manatsu and Renji asked at the same time.

"Where is he? We know he is in Muken but do you have any idea where it is?"

" Only members of the Zero division have access to this information. It is not in Soul Society's best interests to have this information shared especially in time so crucial." The general said.

Yamamoto stroked his beard slowly, having made up his mind.

" Kuchiki-Taicho, Ichinose-Taicho and your lieutenants, you will go to the real world to investigate the circumstances of the disappearance of Orihime Inoue. Ichigo Kurosaki and his relatives must be placed under protective custody immediately. The "4th seat" Kuchiki Rukia, of the thirteenth division, will escort you as a liaison officer."

Renji winced. It was a mission he would have joined gladly. Despite the circumstances, the prospect of seeing Ichigo again and the whole gang would have delighted him.

"So old man, you propose that during that time, the Eleventh sit back and wait! No way! Bring on the kid! I will train his ass and draw his powers out of him. Squeeze him like lemon so that he lets loose all his juice!" Kenpachi snarled.

There were so many things wrong with what Captain Zaraki had just said that Renji, red to the ears, would not know where to start. His ears were bleeding. Suki Ichinose seemed to appreciate the food analogy and smiled ears to ears. Byakuya Kuchiki continued to feign his detachment but couldn't quit staring at her, like someone who just witnessed a murder. Manatsu Dengeki looked disgusted. She hated lemon. Soifon did not have enough humor to find this funny or offensive. Kyouraku had his mind elsewhere and had not heard Zaraki. Dark circles under his eyes, Ukitake yawned and was like Shunsui. Unohana looked indulgently at the captain of the eleventh division who she suspected meant well. However, she was more worried about Ukitake's health by her side. Hitsugaya was trying to remember the last time he had slept; it was still too early for him to digest Zaraki's crudeness. Komamura did not understand a word of what Zaraki had said, especially the part about losing or squeezing some juice out of a human. Kurotsuchi approved Zaraki and all lemon-pressing, or rather particles of spirit pressurization, for the 'good cause' meaning for research purposes. Unfazed, Yamamoto quieted them all, knocking his cane on the floor.

"The eleventh division, the tenth and the fourth division will remain on standby here in the event of an enemy offensive. Seven and nine will patrol through the Seireitei and all Rukon-districts. The eighth division will continue to allocate all its resources investigating the theft in the archives. The second division will increase all security measures around prisoner Gin Ichimaru pending his execution. His execution will take place on schedule. The meeting is adjourned."

Undoubtedly reassured by the prospect of not being removed from the best fight, Zaraki smiled sadistically.

"I can't wait to tell Momo! We're going on a trip!" Ichinose-Taicho told Komamura while he graciously held the door for her.

Some people were lucky, Renji thought. He did not imagine Byakuya Kuchiki at all in the modern world. He sighed. At least Rukia would have the opportunity to say hello to Ichigo for him. She could also tell the great orange meringue that Renji now held a very high position in the Gotei. Unwittingly, he turned his head to the captain of the sixth division. The eyebrow of the latter had begun to tremble furiously in retaliation. He looked positively about to explode. Scratch that! Poor Kuchiki!

Suki came back running, pushing Kurotsuchi out of her way.

"Sorry, I can't party with you tonight, Abarai-Taicho! I'm going on a trip. With Momo. Gotta pack." She shouted before disappearing again.

"Same here. Not in the mood. I need to kill something." Kenpachi said.

"Well, I think we should report this... to a more convenient time," Komamura added.

"Well, I wasn't invited, and it sure felt like it would have been boring anyway and a waste of my time. So you are all lucky I am not offended..." Kurotsuchi cut in.

"Oh! Oh! I forgot! I made a hundred sweet potatoes pie for tonight. I don't know what to do with all these... I need help!"

"I may have a suggestion. Would you like to do some good deeds, Ichinose-Taicho? This stock you have I will take it off your hand free of charge. " Kurotsuchi said, dragging a reluctant Suki outside.

"What is the good deed?"

"You make me happy. My men are spared. Good Deed indeed."

Suki hiccupped comically, totally creeped out, trying to hide it, failing miserably. They both disappeared out of sight.

Renji sighed, then flinched, sensing a boiling warm Reiryoku lift the hair at the back of his neck.

"Sōtaicho, you heard all that?"

"We will have a discussion at a later time about unsanctioned celebrations in the workplace, Abarai-Taicho... "

Renji wanted to cry honestly. He watched the Sōtaicho depart with his lieutenant.

"I can't believe they didn't bother inviting me or even you, Sasakibe. How rude!"

"A bunch of amateurs, Sōtaicho!" Sasakibe said with his posh accent.

"Children!"

His jaw fell to the ground.

* * *

**Orihime Inoue**

Full-time high school student in Karakura

Full-time Damsel in distress

Kurosaki Ichigo's girlfriend

If she had to compare her two kidnappings, the first was done in the rules of art in comparison.

* * *

Inoue Orihime awoke, tied to a chair. Thousands of insignificant little thoughts assailed the siege of her reason. It also took a few good minutes to distinguish nightmare from reality. She was in a dark room, a sort of cellar. She spat the gag around her mouth and tried to untie her hands.

" Inoue Orihime, are you awake?"

This voice. She froze. Memories passed before her eyes. Las Noches. There was not the slightest emotion in this voice. She'd recognized it anywhere.

Emptiness. Void. Darkness.

_"Kill me! If you do not kill me now, this duel will never be over."_

_" I will not do it."_

_Ichigo's eyes! The shame in his eyes. Emptiness in the eyes of his adversary_.

Orihime's heart sank in her chest.

" No !"

She could not believe it. Impossible! It was impossible.

" _Even at the end, you never seem to do what I want. I'm finally starting to find you interesting. Are you afraid of me? Orihime Inoue! Are you afraid of me, woman?"_

Her tears slid down her cheeks like a fountain.

_" I am not afraid !"_

She shook her head to control the tremors in her body. She inhaled deeply.

"I am not afraid."

Just like she was not afraid when she watched every particle of his being dispersed in the Hueco Mundo in agonizingly slow painful motions. She was not scared. She was just hurt.

"How?"

A small ball of reiatsu grows in the palm of his hand, illuminating his white pasty face and making ghostly shadows danced in his emerald eyes devoid of humanity.

"Emptiness. Void. Death. Darkness. I am all that at the same time, woman."

* * *

Next chapter = True Despair


	16. True Despair

* * *

**Ichigo Kurosaki**

Full-time high school student in Karakura city

Former substitute shinigami

Friend of Kuchiki Rukia and Renji Abarai.

One Zanpakuto Spirit Reported Missing. He was last seen wearing rags and a cool pair of sunglasses. Anyone with information is asked to call Urahara's red line. Urgent.

* * *

"Hey! Ichigo! How about you go home?!" Jinta said, his hands behind his head. "Things are incredibly messy for Miss Boobies! We like her! But some of us need their beauty sleep you know! There's nothing we can do!

Ururu lowered her head in embarrassment. She was always so embarrassed at Jinta's bluntness. Ichigo Kurosaki ignored the boy, Urahara was the one he came to talk to. The host was playing with his striped hat seemingly innocently. It's not that Ichigo never wondered why those kids were here and if they were really human. It's not like he never asked himself how Urahara was able to maintain this shop open without a crowd of customers. It's not like he never asked himself questions about what shady business could go on in that shop? What kind of deal he had with the Gotei for him to be able to operate so largely outside of their jurisdiction? He did many times. But he never found the time to properly address those issues, going from one crisis to another, and now that Orihime was gone, that he was plunged into a new crisis, it seemed like those questions should take another backseat. Ichigo came to the former captain of the twelfth division half-convinced that it was the right thing to do anyway. He spent all day with Uryu and Chad searching for her everywhere. He was fairly convinced she was not in Karakura anymore. He needed to find her. For that, he needed his powers back. Urahara seemed to be the only one who could help.

"He is right. It's getting late. It's past their bedtime. Not that you aren't always welcome here, you are. We can even lend you the guest room ..."

One who didn't know Kisuke Urahara could very well mistake this for rational concern. Someone may look at the two kids and say 'oh he was just being a typical father figure!', the responsible one, he was looking out for them. But Ichigo knew Kisuke and could see very well past his gimmicks. He was delaying his answer the best he could. But they didn't have time, Orihime didn't have time. They needed to start now.

The teen impatiently hit the coffee table with his fist, splitting it in pieces.

" It's not acceptable! Kisuke, you have given me my powers back once! I just need a boost! I know it's there! I thought about it! I just want to recover what is already there and relearn how to use it."

Dishes rolled dangerously to the edge of the table, but the master of the house remained unmoved. Urahara glanced at Yoruichi and then at Tessai. Yoruichi alone reacted at Ichigo outbursts, staring at the remains of the table in dismay. She always disliked wasting food so her companions knew she was silently fuming. Ichigo was lucky, she finished eating before he lost it. On the other hand, the ex-Captain of the Kidō Corps simply shrugged and started gathering the bowls on the table. He encouraged Jinta and Ururu to come help him and disappeared with them in the kitchen.

"If only things were so simple!"

Kisuke Urahara bowed his head thoughtfully.

"They are! You know I can do it…"

Kisuke gave a deep, emphatic sigh. He sought support from Yoruichi. She remained silent. Yoruichi stared at him, her gaze uncompromising as usual. It all started because of something he did again. Now, they couldn't get out of this mess. They've quarreled on the subject the day before to the point where Yoruichi threatened to leave him to his miserable fate. That was how bad it got! Seeing the look on her face at the moment, his situation wasn't about to evolve for the best. Kisuke felt cornered and ambushed and unfairly misjudged, but that was like his way of life since he was born. So, he also felt like there was nothing out of the ordinary here. People always deemed him responsible for something he did or didn't do. Ichigo wasn't the only one that didn't understand his inaction. Yoruichi said she just didn't recognize him there. As for Kisuke, although he admitted it was tough to stay out of this mess, stay away from the enticing world of crap he would get for doing something as trivial as helping one Ichigo Kurosaki get his power back, he was ready to call it a day. Right, Orihime disappeared, and that was cause for worry. But he could no longer afford to act naively while waiting for the result of the experiment. He could no longer afford to play with fire and watch somebody else get burn in his stead. He finally learned his lesson. At last, wisdom came. If Yoruichi thought that Orihime's kidnapping was just the beginning of a new series of terrible events, he entirely agreed with her. But dragging Ichigo in there would only complicate things. That's why they fought the day before, and his logic won, and he made her promise not to say anything, knowing it was asking a lot from her.

"Since when do you worry about the consequences of your actions?" She had said back there defiantly.

"Since I imagined a weapon that almost managed to destroy the universe!" He whispered while holding onto her. It was not the only thing he whispered. He said he was sorry. He said he knew she felt responsible too. He said she shouldn't have saved him. She said she had been scared at that time, fearing he would never get to make up for his initial mistake. She said she didn't want him to get lost again. She said she would do it again and again, save him that is, even if that mistake was to be the end of all things. He held onto her until she turned into a cat. Even then, he didn't let go, caressing her just the way she liked it between her ears, because she was the one that mattered to him, because he needed her no matter what. And just like that, the debate had been temporarily closed.

Yoruichi was the only one with the key to Kisuke's skeleton cupboard, and she was the only one to maintain the place neat. Without her, he would have gone crazy a long time ago. If she had not believed in him, he would have been like Aizen, fondling megalomaniac dreams. Contrary to what he told Aizen, he was also one to question the making of the Universe, he was a rebel too at heart. There was nothing more dangerous than that. A rebellious scientist. So, this was hard for him to do, but Isshin had been rather clear. He wanted to be the one to tell Ichigo when he would be ready. Kisuke was not to interfere again. Ichigo deserved to live a carefree life. That's what his parents wanted for him. What his mother would have wanted. Who would want to antagonize a father?

But just looking at Yoruichi's posture, her arms crossed, the veins in her neck almost thumping, he knew that she had not said her last word and intended to make him change his mind. She was a rebellious heart too. She was born and raised a warrior princess, corseted with rules and traditions she questioned and the deep desire to break everything. He was born a felony, a crime, something to be ashamed of, and had only known rejection until he met her. They met like it was fate, like the chaotic collision between two asteroids. She would follow him anywhere he knew.

"Ichigo, if I could give you back your powers. Do you think we would be sitting here right now?"

Ichigo said nothing. Urahara rarely called him by his first name, and he rarely had that look of gravity on his face. The shopkeeper scored a point. Ichigo came to the former captain of the twelfth division half-convinced that it was the right thing to do anyway. Urahara was a mysterious guy, but he was not a dishonest bastard. At least, Ichigo believed he was not. If he could speed up the search for Orihime, or his powers, Ichigo knew he would have done it.

On the other hand, he could not remain idle. He could not sit there, arms crossed, waiting for events to unfold. He had to find someone to fight ... He had to find an obstacle on his way other than himself.

" I would go looking for her wherever she is ... In the Hueco Mundo or the Soul Society ... In paradise or hell! I just need to know how to recover my powers! You are either with me or against me! But you cannot hold me back!"

Kisuke got up from the table.

" I don't have the answer, Ichigo. Aizen and you, you went further than any Shinigami, man or hollow had gone before you. I do not think you know what that means. I'll enlighten you a bit in this case. That means I cannot help you."

Ichigo stared at Yoruichi by his side. He realized he couldn't count on her help. He was alone. So he left the shop, furiously slamming the door behind him. Yoruichi sent a glare Kisuke's direction.

"Really?"

"What was I supposed to say Yoruichi?"

She turned into a cat in a huff and left the room, her tail high.

**"In the End" Linkin Park Cinematic Cover (feat. Jung Youth & Fleurie) / Produced by Tommee Profitt**

That's how Ichigo found himself in front of his high school. He hadn't shed a tear openly since that day by the river. He was not about to break his oath. His eyes, his chest, everything burned. He walked unable to calm down. He knew he couldn't go home in the state he was in. Yuzu would worry. Yuzu. His sisters came to his mind. He had to protect them. Ichigo climbed nimbly over the high school gate, jumped and took a few steps into the courtyard. Hands deep in his pockets, he scanned the sky without stars. Massaging his face, trying to erase the sensation of failure that seemed impregnated in his skin, he sighed deeply. The breeze made the plastic material of Chappy screeched. Ichigo closed his eyes.

_It starts with words…_

Ichigo Kurosaki, born on July 15, had met during the year of his fifteenth anniversary a shinigami, named Rukia Kuchiki. No taller than three apples, she stabbed his heart with her katana and changed his life forever. The impotence he felt until then, the constant depression, the feeling of not being up to the task, she had driven everything away. With this gesture, she gave him a second chance at life. And when it had been necessary to sacrifice the powers, she gave him to protect the world in which she, Orihime, his two little sisters, his father, and all their friends lived, he had not hesitated. But the price to pay ... The fuck was wrong with that fucking price?! Who the fuck up there thought that was a way to reward a hero?

Ichigo climbed back the wall of the school compound easily. Perched on a pillar of the wall, he cast a last glance behind him. He looked on and watch a night butterfly soar in the sky. Chappy hissed in the wind.

Even knowing it would make him miserable and useless again, he had not hesitated. But the price to pay was ... It was too fucking much, right? Ichigo tried to take a deep breath. He wouldn't let the tears fall because that would be unsightly. Also Yuzu would worry. He was fine! He wasn't about to lose it yet! He would get his powers back. He would find Orihime. Because he was no longer the little shit crying for his mommy to come back and fix things… That wasn't him anymore. He heard a click behind him, like the trigger of a smartphone camera and looked around startled. But the street was desert at the late hour. Ichigo Kurosaki had never been afraid in the dark, remember when he used to see ghost daily, so he shrugged the feeling of dread away.

Thinking he may overthink a lot of things for no reasons, he decided to go home, never noticing the shadowy figure perched on a roof not far from him, holding a cellphone open, and smiling at the screen, blue light casting a halo on his features.

The journey back to his house was short and uneventful, Ichigo found Isshin in the living room with the girls asleep under each of his arms.

"Ichigo! Ichigo, wait, you have com..."

Not having the strength to start a discussion with his father of all people, Ichigo went straight to his room, ignoring Isshin's calls.

However, he remained paralyzed on the threshold when he saw her. For a long minute, he simply looked at her, unsure his heart was beating in his chest. With a single kick, Rukia stuck his head in the partition of his closet, and he fell back on the carpet. Striding over him like a boss, she wiped her hands at her excellent job. Upside down, he saw her pull a strand of black hair from her face. He noticed distractedly that her hair had grown, that her gigai seemed taller, and that her panties were rainbow colored. Was it all an optical illusion? a dream?

"Hey, Ichigo! That's when you come home?! I've been waiting for you here forever! At least your father was really hospitable ! Where were you? I don' t know what keeps me from punching your stupid brain again!"

He remained there for an indefinite amount of time simply staring at her. Blinking. Staring.

"Rukia?"

Noticing his dazed expression, the tomboy offered him a faint reassuring smile.

"You idiot, you thought we were going to leave you like this?"

Seeing the look on his face, Rukia sighed.

"That's exactly what you thought! Ichigo! You don't change, do you?! Always underestimating your allies!"

He blinked twice. She was wearing her high school uniform. Did that mean she was going to stay around for a while? Rukia sat down on the bed with a sigh, and he sat up at her feet, his back against his desk. She let her feet swing over the floor and even if she could finally touch the ground sitting; growing up was a big word. Her hair was definitely longer, but she still looked as tiny and frail as the first time he saw her.

" I had my doubts. I have not heard from you very often lately."

He lowered his head and brought one knee against his chest. He had not intended to take a tone so harsh, but her apparent nonchalance was suddenly annoying to him. She acted like it was yesterday they left each other. He was aware he was acting like it was last year and it was a bit much too, but he couldn't possibly let her off so easy. A shiver ran through him as she leaned over seemingly innocently, brush the back of his head softly. This strange caress didn't last and was followed by a tiny slap that shook his brain for a second or two. His vision became blurry. She was stronger than ever.

" Idiot! I left you what, a couple of days?"

He turned to her while tapping the mattress nervously with his index finger.

" It's been 91 days to be exact. I did not see the shadow of your gigai. You didn't even send a postcard."

" Didn't know you could read?"

"Ha! Ha! Very funny! The other classmates were worried about your disappearance."

" The others?"

"Yup. Keigo… Mizuiro… Chizuru… and others… They're just…worried."

He lied. He didn't know what to say.

"Do you think I'll be stuck in math class?" She teased.

He looked up at her. Her eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Do not make that face, Ichigo. It makes me want to hit you again, and I risk ..."

She did not finish her sentence as if she remembered something.

"Killing me? I may have lost my powers, but I have not become such a wuss that your little doll fists could hurt me! I'm still stronger than I look."

"That's not what I mean. I wouldn't want to hurt myself on your stubborn skull."

Rukia bit her lip. They could never tell each other the truth at times. Ichigo lowered his head again.

" I don't know where she is, Rukia. With Chad and Uryuu, we looked everywhere in the city to no avail. "

"All Soul Society is actively searching for her. We will find her. You have to trust us a little."

" Are you going to go back there?"

He finally found the courage to pop the first question that ever went through his mind. Was she here to stay?

"No, I'm on a mission, Ichigo. I was appointed Liaison Officer."

She explained while removing her shoes to sit more comfortably. He watched her massage her feet absentmindedly, reminded himself she was never fond of modern shoes before, always finding it hard to find the correct size for her. He was tempted to go fetch her old pair of slipper shoes he kept in the closet. But half his brain was put on pause trying to decipher her military jargon. Liaison officer? What did that even mean?

Ichigo finally straightened up to climb onto the bed next to her. Before he even opened his mouth, the girl without shoes put a firm hand on his mouth.

"Don't even start raving about the fact that you want to regain your powers. I did not come here to hear that."

" I cannot stay here without doing anything, Rukia."

"I know, and I'll help you when the time comes. I will do everything I can ... If it's your wish, I'll do anything to help you. But I cannot let you rush things just because you do not believe in the strength of your allies."

Gosh! That girl! She always made it known loud and clear, that she thought she could see right through him. But he wasn't about to let her have the last word.

" It's not about ..."

" You want to rush head first no matter the consequences. It's so much more 'you.' I know. We've been there before."

He turned his head to her. It was Rukia's turn to get caught up in the blame game as she went on.

"Stay put, I said. But no, you rushed in the battle head first. You got caught in the war. You had to face Aizen, and you had to..."

She sighed.

"I did what I had to do ..."

She seemed lost in thought. He remembered the last time he saw her. He could still feel the salt in his eyes as he saw the silhouette of the petite shinigami in her uniform for the last time.

" I can't help thinking you could have tried without ... you could have wait for us to find a way!"

" Rukia! I did it for ... a reason! I had to do it! There was no other choice!"

She jumped as if startled. She sighed and shook her head apologetically. She stood up and took a few steps into the room.

"Right! You are right. Absolutely! Right! I'm sorry, Ichigo. What you did for us, for me, I could never thank you enough. You did the right thing."

"Rukia ..."

"You protected us so many times in all the years I've known you ..."

She bowed humbly.

" What are you doing ?"

"I show you my gratitude on behalf of all..."

"Stop! Stop it right now!"

"But ..."

He could not help it, it was like a reflex, he pushed her away with a brutal kick. Surprised by the force of the blow, Rukia lost her balance and ungracefully fell on her butt.

" Hey! It's not ok, Baka! That hurts!" she yelled back. "We were having a very intimate and solemn moment."

"As if I wanted to have a very intimate and solemn moment with you right here right now! It's embarrassing !"

" I wonder why I'm struggling with you! You don't have a heart, you nitwit! You're an idiot who has no sensitivity."

"It's just that you do too much as always! You said your piece, no need to rub it in and all."

Rukia's eyes widened.

" You can dream, miserable insect!"

Ichigo straightened up loudly, making the bed screech.

"Who do you call miserable insect, you nutcase?!"

"Hey! It will teach me to want to cheer you up!" Retorted Rukia even stronger.

"You're going to shut up both of you! Ichigo, tell Rukia-chan that you missed her! It's not complicated, my son. I missed you, Rukia-chan! I kept my closet empty waiting for your return. "

Ichigo jumped out of bed to open the door of his room and found his father on all fours behind it. The latter found a way to regain some of his dignity, coughing with an affected air.

"I was looking for my lenses."

"I'm sorry? Can I please have some privacy? You mind?!"

Ichigo kicked him in the back and closed the door.

"I can't believe a father who spies on his only son! This bastard!"

Rukia pulled on the edges of her skirt uneasily. Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly.

"What?"

"You have to understand, Ichigo, that in less than two years, you have done more for Soul Society than others in 500 years. Of course, Yamamoto did not hesitate to give orders accordingly. He ordered all units to return each Seireitei stone to find Orihime. Everyone is mobilized.

" I know. It's just ... If something happened to her ..."

Rukia nodded.

" I would not allow it either. She is my friend too. However, Orihime is very strong. You should have a little confidence in her. We went to Hueco Mundo together and came back, Ichigo. All together! We will find a solution."

Ichigo held out his hand in a peace offering. She accepted it.

" I know. I am still afraid despite everything. I hate not being able to protect you."

It was her turn to stare now with big violet eyes. He panicked.

"I mean all of you: My friends."

She smiled back.

"I am going to hit you... again… This time I will make it hurt. Fair warning!"

With a grin, he caught up with her hand before she could carry out her threat. Clutching her small fingers in his palm, he let himself fall on the bed again. She climbed back to his side and rested her head on his shoulder. A lock of rebellious hair hid her face. Their bodies were not at all made to match each other. He was far too tall, and she was far too small. But when she was on her knees, a good compromise, she was almost able to rest her head against his shoulder without much effort. This complicity they had since the beginning he missed dearly, he realized as he closed his eyes.

" It's very hard."

"Remain powerless while your dearest friends face the worst danger. Watch them fall one after the other. Really? Who would've thought ?" Rukia remarked in a caustic tone.

"I understand sarcasm."

"We're making progress. Baby steps you call that, right?"

"More sarcasm. I hate that I hate you, Kuchiki!"

"I know. I feel the same."

They looked each other in the eye again.

"You changed, Rukia.

"I am an officer now. I have a seat. I must show by example. I must not hang out with thugs."

"What are you doing here then?"

"I educate thugs, that's not the same."

" Really? You! You're the worst! So, you have a seat now?"

"Yes, you have in front of you, Kuchiki Rukia, the fourth seat of the thirteenth division under Captain Ukitake."

Ichigo nodded with an absent smile. Their fingers were still entwined. She seemed unaware, so he played for a few minutes with the palm of her dollish hand.

"It's not really the most honorable seat. It's not very prestigious or anything…."

"Was about time! It's just fantastic! You deserved it!" Ichigo intervened.

Rukia let go of his hands quickly and rubbed her cheeks nervously.

" It's nothing really."

"I always knew that you'd become a seated officer at some point. You were so damn strong in Hueco Mondo, and you have become stronger! I know! I don't need reiatsu to feel it."

Rukia nodded slowly, a bit overwhelmed.

" Nii-Sama took his time to train me personally. That was the best… He just took me under his wings and taught me a lot, you know, about my zanpakutō, about myself too and what I can do…

Ichigo could not hide his astonishment.

" Byakuya?"

"Yes, I would never have managed to progress this quickly without him."

She sighed. Ichigo stared at her. She definitely changed but it wasn't just her it seems.

"It's at times like this that I miss my powers the most. I really wish I could feel your reiatsu right now."

What did he say? Why did these words take on a whole new ambiguous meaning suddenly? Ichigo hastily put some needed distance between them and straightened slightly. He let out a nervous sneer.

"I mean ... I wish ... uh ... Hahaha! I did not think I would miss it because I have never been so good at feeling reiatsu among other things. "

Unable to share his amusement, Rukia looked away. She seemed sad all of a sudden. Ichigo swallowed hard. What? Why did he have to say that really? She worried about him.

"Rukia, I knew what I was doing. I can't say it's easy every day. The good old days when you were monopolizing my closet and where the hollows had reasonable sizes; I miss, It's clear. I have my moments. But I'm doing fine…"

Rukia nodded softly. He still could not see her eyes hidden behind the bangs.

" Ichigo, are you hurt? Was it ever painful?"

Nobody had ever asked him.

" I wanted to ask ... After ... But ... But ... look ... you just woke up… and it was so hard… There was nothing I could do for you… To help you. I'm not a very good friend, am I?"

"When I was facing Aizen, I remember that I was beyond physical suffering. Pain could not reach me seriously. Sadness, I felt a little. But it was mostly loneliness. That's probably why I managed to connect somehow with Aizen. It felt terribly lonely ... all at the top like this! Saying it like that sounds outrageously arrogant… I know it's crazy! When I think about it, I can't believe that I was able to measure up to him with the certainty of being able to win. The certainty that that was it. You know I felt like I became someone else up there. I didn't want to be that person… But I had to… And then, using Mugetsu, it was ... It only lasted a short while. I felt a part of me burn literally. I felt it turn to ashes… I was a bit relieved because I felt like myself again… It felt good… But then even that feeling was gone too. I woke up. It was gone. It was so fleeting at the moment, it is not really useful to return to the memory of it. It was nothing really. I am okay now."

Rukia nodded knowing he did his best to put on a brave face when he was collapsing inside.

"It hurt me… what you did back there. I understand why you did what you did. But it hurt somehow…"

"Huh?"

" After the defeat of Aizen, the days that followed, I could not think… It was worse than when Kaien-dono died…"

" Who?"

" It's true I don't usually talk about him… He was my mentor. He was the thirteenth division lieutenant when I joined the squad. He died while fighting a hollow. I had to watch him die because it was not my fight and it hurts. The truth is Ukitake-taicho offered me the lieutenant position, but I couldn't take it… because I still relive that fight sometimes and I wonder if I did something instead of just watching it happen… if I was braver… If things would have turn out differently. It's like a nightmare you can't wake up from. So I decided that I was not ready to be lieutenant."

"Rukia… You're going to be okay."

"At least, I arrived too late to watch you, Ichigo. I was glad I didn't make it in time and at the same time… I am so angry at this weakness that I have… that I am still useless to you at times and I wanna change that. I promise I am going to change that."

Ichigo swallowed hard. Rukia bit her lips.

"I'm sorry. I know that's lame. But there was this cancer that was gnawing at me: The idea that you suffered more than all of us ... The idea that you never get to recover just like Kaien-dono. The idea that you'd be lost to us… That I have let it happen… It's because of me that you have all this trouble... it all started because of me ... because of that night… So a secret for a secret, those 91 days were… Well, they were no walk in the park for me too!

He leaned over unable to find his voice. Their faces were close. Ichigo could see how much it was tearing into her to have to tell him all these things about herself. Rukia was never one to talk much. They were so similar.

"Rukia ..."

" I could not even hide it from Nii-Sama. I think he took pity on me eventually. That's the whole truth."

The little brunette sighed before smiling.

"But fact is, I see you now, and I realized that… I was wrong to worry. I sometimes forget how much ... I forget how strong you are, Ichigo."

" Huh? I'm not..."

" You are the strongest man I know."

**Bleach OST 2 - Here To Stay**

He had not found anything to answer that. The furious blush on his cheeks spoke for him. He avoided looking at her and Rukia laid her head on her elbow, thoughtfully. She was just different. Ichigo would not have known exactly what had changed. But in 91 days, she had totally changed. At the same time, she remained Rukia. But when she nodded like that, and she tilted her head to the sides like that, she looked ten years older in the space of a brief moment. It's normal, big idiot, I'm older and smarter than you. He bet she would have answered.

"Let's not exaggerate, baka !"

"Who you call…"

"Shut up… I'm just glad you're here."

She hit him again with the palm of her hand with a smile.

" Ouch! What was that for?"

"Nothing. "

"Is Renji with you?

She got up again.

" No. He is back in Soul Society. He is fine. In fact, he was promoted captain just a couple of weeks ago!

Ichigo's eyes widened.

"No ?"

"Yes, he's the captain of the ninth division. Hisagi is still his vice-captain though. Renji is one of those who is not sleeping at the moment to find Orihime."

" That pineapple head? A captain?

Rukia stifled a sneer.

" Coming from another bleached boy! That's funny!"

" Two minutes ago, you said ..."

She took her most dramatic voice.

"I lied, of course, to brush up your ego, Ichigo-kun."

"Repeat that, little -!

She put on her shoes.

"You changed too, Ichigo. It's probably a good thing."

She said in answers to his silent question.

"I have to go."

Ichigo scratched his head.

"You're not staying? My father will not have any problem with you sleeping with Yuzu. I know that my closet is not very comfortable."

Rukia pushed back a strand of black hair with an affected look.

" Oh Ichigo, this is so not reasonable! Your father might surprise us!"

Ichigo had the expected reaction and remained frozen, his face turning red.

"Pervert!"

Even before he could ask where he could find her, she disappeared by jumping out the window. The closet door slipped a little, revealing a gagged and tied Kon. Hardly had he released the plush toy that he runs into the room.

"Nee-Sannnnn! In my arms, Nee-Sannnnnn!"

"Kon! She's gone!"

Ichigo dropped back to his bed, his arms behind his neck. He stared absently at the ceiling. Hold on, Orihime! He would find a way to get her out of there.

* * *

**Ulquiorra Schiffer**

4th Espada of the Arrancar Army of Aizen

Enemy of Kurosaki Ichigo

Obviously he died more than once, and naturally, it made no difference whatsoever.

* * *

He untied her. With only one of his clawed nails, Ulquiorra had cut the ropes that tied the human woman to her chair. Hands in his pockets, he watched her with the indifferent air that characterized him.

"I'm a prisoner."

Ulquiorra Schiffer did not find it useful to confirm this reality. She stood up. The red-haired female searched for the door and in doing so turned a ridiculous number of times around the chair. She seemed disoriented somehow.

"You are alive. Am I at Hueco Mundo then? You brought me back to Hueco Mundo?"

She stared at him in confusion and disbelief.

" I did not bring you anywhere woman."

Technically speaking, he had not brought her anywhere. Logically, he did not even go looking for her. The shinigami did the tedious job. He just had to stay on the side with a Garganta ready.

Ulquiorra did not know for how long he felt the urge to gaze upon Orihime Inoue's mortal form. Maybe since his awakening. His memories of the past were still unclear and messy. But the memories he had of her were intact and easily accessible. Opening his eyes, back from the sea of nothingness where he was drowning, he realized that if he wanted to find out who he was, find the missing pieces of the puzzle, the inevitable step would be to go fetch that human. But as she was standing before his eyes, vulnerable, fragile and mortal beyond beliefs, nothing came to him. Not the least emotion. She was right there, almost unchanged. She had grown to two and a half centimeters. Her hair was longer than in his memory. She also changed shampoo because he couldn't recognize the subtle scent in her red hair. The buttons torn from her pajamas revealed vast patches of ivory flesh. He half-expected himself to have a radical reaction when he would see her again, like the visceral need to tear her apart limb after limb. He felt numb. What was it that he was supposed to do with her now?

Orihime was looking for the exits. For the sake of comfort, she tied her blouse over her belly button and turned to the Espada defiantly.

"Whatever you do! I will not help you this time lure Ichigo or anything!"

Right? Aizen. They needed her for that. Ulquiorra thought some more before he uttered a dubious sneer in response. Orihime Inoue will do what they told her to do. He had no doubt about it. Considering that he had observed her enough for the night, he gave her his back and went upstairs. He was well aware that she was following him through the maze of corridors. He was also aware that every time she came face to face with a corpse, or a gory reminder of the passage of his acolytes, her heartbeat would redouble in her chest and her reiatsu quivered.

" What am I doing here? Why did you take me here? Ulquiorra? Will, you not tell me? Oh! All these people are dead ... You ... What did you do?"

She seemed astonished. Of course, Ulquiorra Schiffer did not need to get his hands dirty. But why should she be surprised that he had the ability to take lives when he had never lied to her about his nature? It occurred to him that she may have forgotten about him. This thought triggered some sort of anxious response and he grabbed her by her fist and pulled her closer. Her heart was making a delirious concerto in his ears. She stared at him, her eyes unflinching. She remembered him. At that moment, he was reminded of her unbending faith in humanity. It's not that she forgot he was one of the most dangerous creatures walking this earth. No, it was just that she put in her silly head, the belief that he couldn't hurt her for some reasons. She extended that belief to all the person sharing the same genetic material as her. What a pathetic creature that woman! The distress of this woman always colored in blue and yellow her reiatsu. He let go. She put some distance between them as if he just burned her.

Seeing the shinigami walking down the stairs, she let go of a gasp. Seeing the puffed mouth of Rigor emerged from the shadow, she pushed a full scream. And as if she did not have a shout to spare when she saw that fool of Barruk playing with an empty cage, and Enzo, cleaning his canines with cut off fingers, she collapsed on the floor, crawling like a wounded beast. She banged against a lifeless body. Her eyes widened in horror. A new cry was stuck in her throat. Oh, the heart was a funny thing! How he filled a tiny frail body of invisible and useless emotions! The woman crawled on all fours as fast as she could in the puddles of dried hemoglobin. He watched her do it because he found her pointless gestures somehow entertaining. The tears that covered her cheeks with a wet delicate layer tempted him like an oasis in the middle of the desert.

Ulquiorra frowned. Espada did eat at times. But this basic need to substantiate one soul with physical nutrients was more a social affair than a biological need. On the other hand, Hollow were born from despair or regret. So, it was natural to think they were all, laying aside all difference between stages of evolution, attracted by what made them. Despair, Fear, Death impregnated the walls all around them like a shot of the most intoxicating drugs. The behemoth behind him moved slowly toward Orihime. She kept on screaming. His hands in his pocket, Ulquiorra witness the inevitable with a morbid fascination.

**Greg Dombrowski** **\- The storm ( EPOCH album)**

" Is she Orihime Inoue?" Enzo asked, his yellow fangs out. "She is appetizing with a lovely voice. I like it when they cry. She smells like a snack."

Ulquiorra turned slowly on his heels to face him. He did not like talking to Enzo. He was an inferior being with a relatively primitive intelligence. The height of irony was that he was the smartest of the gang. Primeros. Inferior flawed beings led by greed and created by Aizen. He already explained twice how Aizen thought that girl could help in the event he got captured. He was not about to do it again. Ulquiorra blinked. His eyes widened slightly. A blast of wind curled his hair in the air. Using Sonido, Enzo teleported himself behind him and savagely grabbed Orihime by her hair. Her screams filled the room at once. Ulquiorra felt undisposed for the first time in all the lives he remembered he lived. He blinked once. **Black. Hueco Mundo. One moon. A sand desert. One white tree. Need.** He shook the vision away. The beast wanted out. He wanted back to... Peace. How come? One hand still in his pocket, he gracefully pinched the bridge of his nose in concentration. Well, her screams didn't help.

Hueco Mundo was the least of this woman's worries, Ulquiorra thought, because the monsters had left the nest. He opened his hand and watched particles of electricity sizzled in between his fingers. **One white tree. His. Need. Empty. Food. Bright. Color. Soul. Eat. Soul.** Some things tickled his insides and caused disturbing crackles in his reiatsu. Enzo grabbed the young woman but she slapped him in return. Obviously, he didn't flinch, rather the contrary, his paw roamed her body like it a new playground. Barruk and Rigor circled her. Ulquiorra turned slowly.

"Oh she's a feisty one! So, darling, they say you have the power to return Aizen-Sama to his normal self. At least before the shinigamis put their dirty hands on him... Meaning you're in luck... You're not going to die yet... But well, I can see material here for the making of a very interesting hollow. You could be one of us... See, the thing with us Primeros, is we are artists at heart. We have a creative side to us. We are perfectionists. So, I was thinking what if I open you up and see what's in your stomach before Moon comes back. I bet you'd like that?!"

At his words, the woman's eyes widened even more. Instinct prevailed and she ran. Enzo grabbed her by the foot and dragged her a few feet up the stairs. Orihime kicked him in his legs again and again.

**"Koten Zanshun"**

The wind blast exploded all the glass windows in the dilapidated mansion. A tower of light blinded Ulquiorra and the other arrancars for a split second. It was not nearly enough power to injure or stop Enzo but it managed to surprise him into releasing the grip he had on her ankle. Orihime crawled. He pulled her back even more violently. She clung to the walls even knowing that resisting would be useless. Primeros of their level against a simple human, the dices were loaded in advance. Enzo may have been a slightly more evolved version of the animal. An artificial abomination. He was still a formidable fighter.

Kurosaki's human had to realize that she would not go very far. Orihime cried and clung desperately to the guardrail. Surprised to feel resistance, Enzo released the young woman's foot. She took the opportunity to fall ungracefully on all fours and slipped like a wounded animal a few inches from Ulquiorra. She reached for him.

This had already happened before. But the roles had been reversed. Faced with his refusal to reproduce the gesture that had nearly marked his last minutes of existence, she burst into tears on the floor as if she just now realized he wouldn't help. Each of her tremors sizzled his reiatsu most uneasily. The beast was raging now. Damn. The human resembled an inexhaustible oasis. **Desert. White tree. Desire. Release. Hunger.** Her tears did not seem to be able to end. He could not help imagining the taste of it on the tip of his tongue. Would they tarnish his thirst? The heart was on the ground crying all the tears in that human body, and he was invaded by a fleeting emotion like the most conquering thought. Unable to understand it. Above all to understand the usefulness of this emotion. To understand what all of this had to do with him. Enzo and his brothers woke him up. He was dead. **Finish. Them. All.** Rigor brought him back.

Technically, he gave him birth again. Technically, he owed them. Technically, he was on. their. side. **Aizen. Master. Get. Heart. Eat. Kill. Everything.**

Before Enzo touched her again, Ulquiorra stooped to her level and took her hand in his. Her grip immediately tightened around him with all the strength that was in her insignificant soul. She crawled again and threw herself completely into his arms. Her arms closed with even more force around him. Orihime Inoue clung to him.

In his neck, he felt her hurried shallow breaths, a white terror had seized her and did not want to leave her. He had never seen her that way. At Las Noches, she was deluded most of the time into thinking her enemy should be cordial and courteous to her. She had... How did she call that? A semblance of dignity, an abstract notion ... Onna's fear, he had always been able to measure it by paying attention to details. But she'd never been so scared even in her first days in the Hueco Mundo. The scent of her fear permeated the walls of the house, and Ulquiorra almost suffocated. Enzo took a few steps towards them, amused. He, too, had felt. None of them could miss it. Rigor leaned over to pick her up. Barruk wanted his turn. Fear was a gourmet dish for them. Enzo leaned over to grab the redhead's ankle again, undeterred that he will get to play.

It is the moment Ulquiorra chose to steal his prey and disappear with her in the night, leaving only the after-image of the hugging couple floating behind him.

* * *

Next chapter = Undercover


	17. Undercover

* * *

**Kurosaki Ichigo**

Full-time high school student in Karakura city

Former substitute shinigami

Friend of Kuchiki Rukia, Renji Abarai, Chad Yasutora, Uryu Ishida, Orihime Inoue.

He had no reason to believe that what he was now experiencing was real but how could anyone explain Kuchiki Byakuya would be haunting him even in his nightmares.

* * *

At last, the school bell announced the Lunch break. Ichigo Kurosaki had no idea how he managed to survive through the morning classes. Rukia was still nowhere to be found despite her promises. As a result, he had been unable to concentrate for a single minute on the content of his literature and Japanese class. At least Chad and Uryu had confirmed that her presence last night was not the mere product of his imagination. It was not just a dream. Rukia also visited them yesterday. She told them about having been named Liaison Officer. What that really meant, just like Ichigo, they both had no idea. All that mystery was starting to grate on his nerves to be truthful. He could not take his mind off what was happening with Orihime. Where was she? Was she safe? If anything happened to her...

He still did not feel an ounce of spiritual pressure. It was not for lack of trying. Despite using Kon daily as a guinea pig, he didn't make any progress. He did not even feel a tingle in the air. He was more helpless than ever, and it was hopeless. It was worse than before he met Rukia for the first time. At that time, he had no idea what was hiding after death. He was content to see frightened spirits and ghosts ... The monsters, the real ones, came long after that. During the break, he stayed in his corner, staring at the window, letting out a distracted ear here and there. His grim and morose features were enough to dissuade anyone from starting a conversation. Tatsuki and Keigo had tried earlier, and he dismissed them harshly. He knew Keigo meant well. He also knew Tatsuki was just as worried as he was. Still, he just couldn't have that talk with her about how his actions led to this… How he constantly put them in danger… How Orihime's disappearance was all on him. He didn't need Tats to tell him. He was perfectly aware. He was the one who brought the monsters at their door. Ichigo now understood what these two had had to endure all these months. Being powerless. Staying behind. Waiting for the events to unfold.

" _Inoue-san missed another day! I hope she will recover soon! / What did Kurosaki-Kun said ? / Nothing! Grumpy today! He must miss her! Keigo was the one who told me Inoue-san caught a cold. / Oh! Amamiya-san, you're out of breath! /He's here! They're here! I saw him! He just arrived in a luxurious sedan. / Their family must be wealthy. / He is ... Incredible! / He is exactly like the girls in Class 4 described to us. / Drop dead gorgeous? / Yes! Even his driver is surreal! / Yun and Imoya have decided to form a fan club. / If there is a fan club, I am in! / He is to die for! How lucky can she be ?! That girl is always surrounded by bishounen. She was always with Kurosaki. Now that she is back…/ Oh, here she comes! / We can ask her since .../Shhh…. She is coming this way! Kuchiki-san, hello !"_

Ichigo bolted from his chair like a spring, but Keigo seemingly beat him to it. Rukia hadn't crossed the threshold that the brunet had engulfed her in his arms.

"Kuchiki-san, it's been so long. I'm so glad you're back."

Rukia patted Keigo's back both to greet him and invite him to let go at the same time. She counted to three before smashing his nose with her elbow, knocking the young boy out of her way.

"Oh sorry! Sorry, Keigo-san! Bad reflex! I could not breathe, and I guess I panicked a little." She said with her most girlish voice, batting her eyelashes.

That was Kuchiki Rukia for you. Heavy on the Bullshit with the perfect polite smile! She was here and back to her old gimmicks, Ichigo sighed. He was a bit annoyed. He won't lie. Was she about to pretend they were not in the middle of a crisis? Without a word, Ichigo immediately pulled Rukia's arm and dragged her out of the classroom manu militari. He needed answers. He needed them now. What was she up to? Did she have any news? Did they find her? They didn't make it halfway in the hallway that a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo spun around in slow motion, pulling Rukia with him. His eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the man standing a few feet from them. Kuchiki Byakuya. The one and only Kuchiki Byakuya. Not only, the man was in his high school, quite flesh-and-blood, but he wore the uniform of any good businessman, a dark suit and a white shirt with a tie. He did not wear any symbol of his nobility, no expensive scarves or Kenseikan, but the outfit he was wearing seemed to have cost a fortune. He was standing in the main hallway his hands in his pocket, his black hair falling freely over his shoulders, with his usual haughty demeanor. Make no mistake here, the threat was still clear. Ichigo cringed slightly. Even in a Gigai, he looked like he could crush Ichigo's under the sole of his Italian shoes. The teen let go of Rukia, quickly distancing himself from her. When he realized what he was doing, it was too late, and he felt suddenly silly. He was not doing anything wrong even if the man was looking at him like he'd just broke another of Soul Society's idiotic rules.

Beside him, Rukia was smiling brightly.

"Nii- Sama? You've made it? I was about to... "

" Byakuya? What are you doing here?"

Rukia and Ichigo started at the same time. Rukia frowned and turned to Ichigo in confusion. Ichigo shrugged and did not notice the growing irritation in the noble's eyes at the impolite use of his first name.

"Good if you're here, Byakuya, I need to know what you all plan to do. But we cannot talk here so..."

Byakuya frowned condescendingly.

"Where are you going to go? Classes will resume in a few minutes, and you are not allowed to leave the premises before the end. It's on page 44 of the regulation book."

Byakuya handled the school's chart carefully and cast a look of disapproval towards Rukia. Trust Byakuya Kuchiki to follow the rules to the letter, any rules for that matter. A procession of girls in uniform followed the slightest gestures of Rukia's brother, without him being affected in any way by the shenanigans of the swarm of feisty bees. Ichigo tapped Rukia's shoulder comically. What was Byakuya's problem? Well, even Rukia was a bit confused. At first, she had no idea what her brother was talking about until she seemed to remember the context.

"Oh! We should go back, right? Right, Ichigo? Go back to class."

"No way. I need answers now. What is happening here?"

"About that, Ichigo, I wanted to talk to you earlier, but there was no time! I promise to put you up to speed before the end of the day. But to sum things up, Squad 6 is in charge of…" Rukia started explaining, taking her liaison officer duty very seriously, before she was rudely interrupted by a slight commotion in the background.

"Class 3! Excuse me! I'm looking for class 3! "

" This way, Miss!"

" Oh! I see! Thank you! Have a good day! Oh! Kuchiki-Sama! There you are!"

They all turned again. With the momentum of a model on the runway, perched on dizzying black stilettos, a young woman was making her way toward them. For a few seconds, Ichigo thought he saw Yoruichi. But the newcomer had bright olive eyes. Her black hair, partly drawn in a high bun, was sparse with golden locks. Her flowing summer dress covered modestly by a fitted blazer, highlighted her shapely figure as she walked toward them with a swaying gait. With one hand, she pushed her golden hair back. She pointed at the sixth squad captain.

"I'm talking to you, Kuchiki-sama! Don't ignore me!"

Byakuya glanced quickly over his shoulder and sighed audibly.

"You cranky, cruel and boring old man! You dared to push me out of a moving car! What kind of man does this kind of thing?"

Byakuya remained impassive. Ichigo briefly witnessed the sixth squad captain's face relaxed into the faintest smile. He frowned. Byakuya was teasing that woman? Byakuya Kuchiki was teasing someone?

"I could have gotten hurt !"

"And yet, you appear before me ... To my deepest regret, healthy, and talkative as ever. Some might think I may have lost my touch. Some might think I lack determination." He muttered.

He was using sarcasm. His own particular brand of sarcasm. Ichigo could barely swallow the thought that Byakuya just made a joke and the thought Rukia was looking at the scene with round eyes assured him he wasn't the only one shell-shocked here. What the hell was going on?

"You made me walk up here with these shoes! With these horrible shoes! All because I suggested we stop for breakfast in a cafe! What was wrong with that?"

"You insisted in cooking breakfast this morning and gathered everyone around a table to indulge you. How many times a day do you think one had to do your bidding?"

"You are so despicable! It's like you were tortured as a baby? Why are you so mean to me anyway? Why?"

Byakuya turned to look at her, the answer was in the callous twitch of his lips.

"Who forced you to put on these grotesque things anyway?"

" That's not the question! I could have gotten lost or meet highwaymen. Bandits…you could never know. "

" Bandits would probably change sidewalk in front of such an excess of vulgarity and superficiality, Ichinose-taicho. Are you not a Captain? "

Byakuya retorted in a still neutral tone.

"You are so uncaring. One does not abandon a beautiful young woman without escort in an unknown city. It's rude. Terribly rude."

"It's lucky that you are neither beautiful nor young." Byakuya groaned.

"What did you mumble? Something nasty, I bet. I am serious. Apologize. Now."

Byakuya did not seem impressed.

"Nope."

"Now! Kuchiki-Sama! Where is Momo? She has to witness how unkind you are to her beloved captain. She will probably file a complaint against you. Don't say I didn't warn you?"

"A complaint?"

"Yes, because you're harassing her favorite captain."

"Favorite? You are not afraid of anything. You're her only captain right now."

"Well, my subordinates like me and care about my welfare unlike you. I saw how Terashima-san looks at you. At least he apologized to me earlier. He said he just had to follow orders. You are scaring everybody."

Ichigo cringed. Did she just scold Kuchiki Byakuya about his arrogant behavior? Boy, was that woman fearless!

"You're the one who should apologize…"

Fearless or Clueless? Or a bit of both?

" For what?"

"I have no idea. You're wearing me out. Breathing, constantly talking, meddling, being annoying, being late, you managed to do all that at once. Next time, I won't tolerate any of it."

Suki gave such a scary glare like she was about to punch them to the moon.

" How dare you?! Who made you the leader of this mission? I have no orders to receive from you. I know very well what I have to do ..."

Byakuya snapped.

"Yet you are slow to execute simple orders. You are a living breathing contradiction, Keikosuki Ichinose. You are…"

Ichigo swallowed hard. His face took on a blood color. For a whole minute, the time was suspended. Keigo, himself, had the hardest time picking up his tongue on the floor.

"Moreover, it is obvious that until further notice, my seniority prevails."

He did not add his rank, but that was self-evident.

"Your seniority?"

She stopped.

"You called it yourself, calling me an old man again, knowing I was the voice of wisdom."

Suki frowned and blushed, not liking the way he just turned her words against her.

"I… did…but…that's not…I did not…"

"So, you will do as the old man say."

Keikosuki pouted for a whole dangerous minute. There was no way this was a way to treat a Suki-chan even for a Kuchiki-sama. Byakuya shook his head in annoyance. True he knew it was a hit below the belt and he knew that woman was about to cry. How annoying! Suki looked away, eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"Are you all going to explain at last what is happening?" Ichigo ventured hesitantly.

The ground was dangerously moving beneath their feet. Byakuya didn't pay it any attention at first, but when a persistent grinding noise emanated from the bay windows behind them, he took a rapid look around. Suki was staring at the ground, and he couldn't see her eyes. Usually, Humans were not supposed to be able to sense a supernatural reaction, but the whole class was staring at the windows. The building was starting to move in earnest. It couldn't be! How could she do that… in her gigai. How much reiatsu did she have in that small body of hers!

" I apologize, Ichinose-Taicho. That was out of line…"

Byakuya looked around him grimly.

" All of it."

She looked up as if in a daze and smiled gratefully. The windows stopped moving. Byakuya knew three things about that woman. She was holding inside her an incredible amount of reiatsu, just like that Kurosaki boy in front of him used to. Two, she cried easily. Three, she smiled even more easily and for no apparent reason. Her idiotic smile confused the hell out of him, to the point where he was wondering what they were arguing about.

Rukia stood between the two of them. She bowed politely in front of her superiors.

" Ichinose-Taicho..."

Suki blinked twice.

" Oh ! Kuchiki-San! You look lovely today. Your skin is glorious."

She said as if she just noticed Rukia.

"Sorry...and Thanks! I just want to introduce you to Ichigo Kurosaki, the former substitute shinigami. Ichigo, I want you to meet the new captain of the fifth division, Keikosuki Ichinose."

" Oh! Wow! You're a captain?!"

Ichigo awkwardly snapped back to reality. He had no idea what just happened. Did the windows behind them move earlier? Did he really see that? Suki bowed in turn. But unaccustomed to the height of her heels, she took support on the arm of Byakuya to recover without losing her balance. This simple gesture caused a dramatic sigh and a dozen broken hearts among the members of Kuchiki-sama's newly formed fan club. Byakuya remained as rigid as a coat rack, his hands in his pockets. He had to keep his hands busy, as they were tempted to serve as a cane, his whole body wanted to betray him, as it appreciated the proximity of this minx a little too much.

" Oh! Kurosaki Ichigo, I heard a lot about you ..."

She realized she was holding Byakuya's arm hostage and let go immediately without a word.

It was not just Rukia that changed. He did not really recognize the man in front of him. It was Byakuya, and at the same time, it may have been a more modern and regular version of Byakuya. Captain Kuchiki turned to him with his usual contempt. No, it was Byakuya. The gesture was there. The contemptuous and haughty demeanor. The bad temper. Everything was still intact.

" Very well! Administrator, as their newly appointed teacher, I will take care of these two young people and take them back on the right path."

"The right path? As if you knew where to look for it, Ichinose-dono?"

"That is so mean, Kuchiki-Sama. I wish you would get….lost? Far away from my classroom…if you please…" She said with a smile.

Byakuya turned on his heels with a faint smile.

The newcomer pulled on both Ichigo and Rukia and led them to the classroom.

"No need to thank me! I'm sure he was looking at which punishment would be better suited for us. He has a very sadistic side this Kuchiki-sama, and he takes his role very seriously. Sorry, I know he is your brother, Kuchiki-san. "

Rukia hiccupped weirdly, and Ichigo almost wanted to laugh.

"He was reading that stupid school book during the whole trip, and I didn't know that by the time we made it downtown he had already memorized everything. So, I was not in luck just like you are right now. I asked Terashima-san politely to stop the car, and he was ready to comply but… That bitter balding man didn't even allow us to make that stop at 'Star - Buckled'. I wanted to know what it was. Before I knew it, he pushed me out of the car. That's what he did! Just like that! I saw my life flash before my eyes. It was filled with memories of cake, hugs and kisses and rainbows and clouds... I live an amazing life until now. Till I met that man! Okay, maybe not amazing! Amazing is a beautiful flourished word! Maybe there was lemons, a lot of them, but we made lemon pie. Sweet lemon pie! We were good at that! We usually enjoy life! What I mean is that falling out of that car was so scary! It was the first time I came here in the world of the living! See, Ichigo! Can I call you Ichigo? You can call me Suki! Everybody call me Suki. Ask Rukia-san! I am a Suki-chan! I was born and bred in Soul Society. To be even more precise, I was born in a Palace… One big stuffy, dusty, boring place… Way way up there. So, you realize it's quite a change of landscape for me. No offense but here a lot of people are rude! There is no way I would ride those ugly beasts named bus. I mean I don't know most of these people. Why are they sitting so close to each other on the bus? Like they are so many of them! Kuchiki-sama could have been more understanding if you want my opinion! He is a ruffian! I will just give it to you like it is anyway! My opinion that is! He is the worst bully! Preying on the weak! Really! I was scared of walking those streets by myself. I've never been so scared! People were staring at me! They were! I mean there seem to be so many dangerous people out here. The smell is all over the place! It smells like a volcano! Like an upcoming disaster! It's so strong! Everywhere! Look at this young man!"

She pointed at Chad.

"And this one… Quincy blood… Scary too! I thought they were extinct. See, my father was in the Quincy War so… It's like this world doesn't make a lot of sense."

She pointed at Uryu. Rukia frowned. It's not like Suki, herself, made a lot of sense right now.

"Right, Ichinose-taicho, they are our friends."

"Your friends?"

"Yes, they fought with us."

"Quincy and hollow… Really? I've been asleep a long time!"

"What?"

"Absolutely nothing. It's alright. I wish we can all be friends."

" Hum… Maybe Ichinose-taicho you should avoid mentioning the Quincy War to Uryu. I mean they are allies."

" Oh! Of course? I apologize. I see! They look like great promising youngsters! To be fair, you smell really strange too, Ichigo-kun! I don't understand why they told us that you required our protection. We should totally bow to you. I mean it's obvious. You should be captain and direct our mission. Not Kuchiki-sama, that pretentious old man!"

"Ichinose-Taicho!" Rukia reminded.

Ichigo frowned and turned to Rukia. She shrugged.

"May I remind you that Ichigo doesn't have a reiatsu currently? What you smell is perfume or cologne, it's the only thing you can smell in a gigai. I thought you knew."

"What do you mean he doesn't have a reiatsu? He stinks worse than a Menos Grande! What am I saying? A Vasto Lorde… That's more like it, and I've never even seen or smelled one! Thinking about it... He smells like Royalty too. Funny! He smells like that Lonely Soul up there ! Like something familiar... Yet I don't remember! It cannot only be the scent of youth. Yet, just saying… Sorry, I know that stuff. My father used to say that my most amazing talent is my nose. The things you have registered in your head, little Suki. He said." She finished in a whisper, a strange gleam animating her eyes. "

Ichigo stared at the woman confused. Rukia was shaking her head, at a loss of words.

"Anyway, I don't care! You shouldn't either! You know what matters… what matters is that I wanted to taste a "Star-bickled's white mochaccino, 3% fat skimmed milk' before lunch and I couldn't. That's horrible! I don't understand your brother. I feel this captain has anger management issues. Did you see the windows moving? I mean really…. You should talk to him, Rukia." She said as she abandoned them on the threshold.

"Have a seat, everyone! We're going to start class soon."

Ichigo swallowed hard. What a tornado! He turned to Rukia, looking at her with the look that said she's got a ton of explaining to do. The brunet seemed even more confused than him.

He noticed Tatsuki was glaring at them. Before he could say anything, she pretended to be lost in the pages of her notebook. Then he remembered the reason that had justified the intervention of two Captains of Gotei 13 and sighed. Orihime?! Shit!

A few girls from their class lured Rukia into a corner of the room.

"Kuchiki-san, is it true that the new administrator is your brother?" Michiru asked.

"Yes, Kuchiki-san, is he married or in a relationship?"

"Kuchiki-san, your family must be rich, right?"

Ichigo stepped out of the group of hysterical females and stared suspiciously at the young woman in her floral dress. She wiped the board quickly to write her name.

" I am Suki Ichinose, and I will teach you home economics once a week from now on. Your first duty will be to cook a dish from the ingredients that I will give you. This to better prepare yourself for the management of everyday life after high school. We'll go through the recipes ... one after the other. One of my favorites, Oyakodon! Yum! And you will see it's a breeze! Please take a seat."

Rukia then pulled herself out of the group to sit next to Ichigo.

" I know. I know. I am sorry. I promise I'll explain everything after class. "

Fortunately for them, Suki's class went on very quickly. After school ended, Rukia invited Ichigo, Chad, and Uryu to follow her to the new headquarters of the Soul Society. From the courtyard, they watched Byakuya Kuchiki climb into a black Flying Spur Bentley, while a man with long silky blue hair held the door for him. Lord Kuchiki froze seemingly remembering something, he waved the driver to wait and got out again. Suki Ichinose jogged quietly towards the car, not really graceful in her high heels. Still, she managed to make it. Byakuya opened the door for her and patiently waited for her to settle on the backseat to follow. The blue-haired man started the car again, and they disappeared in the traffic. Okay! Ichigo scratched his head. That was super strange!

"Oi! Rukia! Is it still far?" Ichigo asked a little later, as the three boys and Rukia were walking toward the headquarters.

He realized they were in his neighborhood when they passed his father's clinic. When they stopped down the streets, eleven houses later, in front of a large modern Japanese villa hidden behind a white brick wall, all the boys looked at each other torn between relief and irritation. Why didn't she say that their new HQ happened to be in Ichigo's neighborhood? Why did it feel like it took forever to get there? That shortcut of hers wasn't a shortcut at all!

"We are here!" Rukia finally said, proud with herself. Uryu and Ichigo simply shook their heads in disbelief while Chad remained neutral.

She tapped a code and used facial recognition to open the gate for them. She hoped Ichigo would be impressed with the location because she really did pull on some strings to get the twelve division to add an additional plot of land close to Ichigo's house.

" Hey! It's ... it's ... Was there not a vacant lot at this location yesterday?" Uryu noted.

Rukia shrugged, unsure.

" I don't know. Nemu Kurotsuchi took care of the logistics. It is not impossible. I know building a house or creating a plot can be a hassle for them. Her father was particularly grumpy when I asked for it to be in this particular area."

Ichigo said nothing. To be honest, Rukia was a bit disappointed. She didn't expect him to jump with joy at the idea that they could live close to each other again, but she was a bit disappointed by his lack of reaction. She couldn't believe her luck when Byakuya and then Yamamoto approved her project of building permanent headquarters in town. When she got the green light, everything went fast, and she kept running from the sixth division to the fifth to the twelfth again to make sure the project garnered every captain's approval. Byakuya wanted space. Lots of it. He wanted a traditional garden and a master bedroom with his private baths. Suki wanted a kitchen, a dining room that could shift into a ballroom, and a pool. Kurotsuchi begrudgingly agreed to modify his plan to fit each of their taste since Rukia managed to convince Suki to bribe him with more sweet potatoes pie. She had to admit the house was great. It was quite comfortable too. Not to say she didn't miss that closet, but this was a good consolation prize.

As soon as they enter the garden, the group came face to face with the driver of the Bentley. Sitting cross-legged on a bench, the wind blowing in his long white hair with blue highlights. His right ear had multiple piercings. The Kuchiki family seal was tattooed on his neck, and he was wearing a black leather eyepatch. He got up immediately and bowed in front of Rukia.

"As you all know, Renji was recently promoted captain of the ninth division. So, let me introduce you to his replacement, the new vice-captain of the sixth division, Shane Terashima. Shane, that's ... Ichigo, Chad and ... Uryu."

Without giving Rukia time to finish, the man turned on his heels and left.

"Um, he's not very social." Uryu pointed out, pushing his glasses to the tip of his nose.

Rukia shrugged. She stared at the spot deserted by Shane. After a moment, she spoke again.

"Shane is a distant cousin of Nii-Sama. He is part of the Kuchiki clan. I probably did not use the right words to introduce him. He can be testy. The situation is unorthodox. Shane-San is not only Renji's successor to this post but also his predecessor."

"What?"

Ichigo frowned.

"About four years ago, during a rescue mission to recover a shinigami from his division in enemy territory, the group he led was ambushed. That's where he lost his eye. Nii-Sama relieved him of his duties and demoted him to a third seat position."

"This explains that. Why am I not surprised by Byakuya?" Ichigo sighed.

" I think things are a little more complicated than it seems. Shane-San has a deep respect for Nii-Sama ... But it's… complicated."

"Complicated like bailing on someone who needs his help?!"

Rukia was about to repeat something when they were interrupted by Hinamori Momo's arrival. The young woman stood in the doorway wearing jeans and a white lace blouse. She bowed respectfully and invited them in.

"Hello, I'm Hinamori Momo, I'm the vice-captain of the fifth division."

" Tōshirō's friend? I remember him talking about you."

" Really?"

"Yes."

She nodded happily.

"Captain Kuchiki and Captain Ichinose are waiting for you."

Suki Ichinose pushed her out of the way teasingly. Her hair was raised in an eccentric bun. She had changed. A white lace apron covered her red kimono.

"Honey, the kids are back!" She shouted, her hand in a megaphone.

Byakuya Kuchiki appeared at the top of the stairs looking positively aggravated.

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

It was his only words of welcome.

He did not remember the names of the other two. Apparently, he did not care. It had the merit of making Ishida tick. Why did he join the shinigami again?

" Do not pay attention, he is always a little grumpy before dinner. He never eats his vegetables." Suki interjected with a laugh.

They reached the living room, and Suki Ichinose disappeared into the kitchen for a moment. They heard her scream ecstatically every time the microwave beep sounded.

Byakuya sat in the armchair in front of the plasma screen that loomed over the fireplace. An action so domestic and ordinary that Ichigo was totally speechless.

" This woman is obsessed with food." He muttered, turning off the sound of the television with the remote control.

Byakuya Kuchiki knew how to use remote control. Ichigo went from surprise to surprise. In fact, if he had been more attentive, he would have realized that Captain Kuchiki's expertise boiled down to pressing haphazardly on some buttons. The more minutes passed, the more he tried to squeeze all the keys without achieving the desired result, that is to say, that the "receptor of human nonsense" was turned off. Without ever losing his regal air, he gave up and got rid of the remote control with disdain. Shane, behind him, caught the remote on the fly and turned off the plasma screen with ease.

Soothed, Byakuya waited patiently for the human to sit with his friends around the coffee table. Ichigo settled next to Rukia.

" What this does all mean?"

Suki returned with tea and pastries for everyone. It did not escape the redhead she served Byakuya first even though the latter refused her attentions categorically. She pouted but hastened to smile again as she filled Chad's plate. The giant could not help but blush. She did the same thing for Shane.

" As I told you, Yamamoto-Sotaicho is very worried since the abduction of Orihime. We haven't found her yet, but we know a little more. Two days ago, Vice Captain Ise was attacked by an intruder in the archives of the eight division. It seemed to be directly linked with Orihime's kidnapping. Yet, Yamamoto So-Taicho didn't want to discard any lead, so he dispatched, Captain Ichinose, Nii-Sama, their lieutenants and myself on the spot to Karakura.

"I understand. It does not tell me where the others are? Little Hitsugaya, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Rangiku?"

Rukia lowered her head. Hinamori looked just as sad.

" Yumichika and Ikkaku remained in their division. Since she used her bankai to save Gin Ichimaru's life, Rangiku-san did not wake up."

" Oh !" Uryu and Ichigo said at the same time.

Hinamori lowered her head to her cup of tea.

" Hitsugaya-Taicho is very worried about her. Nobody knows if she will be able to wake up one day." Momo explained.

Rukia nodded. It explained why Toshiro was not there, Ichigo thought.

"Captain Hitsugaya is also in charge with Captain Soi Fon of overseeing the execution of Ichimaru Gin."

"Gin is alive? He will be executed?"

Byakuya looked at the young redhead carefully. For a moment, it was as if Rukia's brother was assessing the likelihood that Ichigo Kurosaki would lead a new punitive expedition against the Seireitei. Trust was a difficult thing to maintain in this life and in the next.

"He violated all the laws of the Seireitei, killed and conspired on behalf of Aizen."

Byakuya did not say "endangered Rukia's life" and "attempted to kill her" to emphasize his point, but Ichigo was perfectly able to read between the lines. Byakuya had not forgiven Gin for anything. Still, Ichigo didn't know what to make of this news.

Rukia lowered her head and said nothing. She was a bit confused herself. Some part of her, the ugly part of her wanted to rejoice in the death of Gin. He was evil to her. But at the same time, she knew vengeance was a bad thing. Killing Aarronierro hadn't made her pain and anguish go away. At times, she still deemed herself unfit of belonging to the Gotei. Although making all this even more difficult was that Rangiku was also her friend. To think she sacrificed everything for that man. She must have known something about him nobody knew. On another hand, Ichigo was staring at her in disapproval, and it kinda hurt her pride. It couldn't expect her to just forget what Gin did.

Ichigo just shook his head, experiencing the worst internal conflict around the idea of Gin's death.

"I know ... But ... It seems very radical a punishment after his past actions."

" You fought him during the war. He attempted to stop you too."

"He was never my enemy. Aizen was."

"I wonder about that."

"I understand now why his blade was so empty. Devoid of feelings. He did not want to kill me. He wanted to wake me up to the full potential of my powers. I think… I think…He wanted back up. Maybe he deserves jail time, but I don't believe he deserved to be killed."

"Is that so?" Byakuya simply said, standing up, his hands in his pocket.

"Well, Kurosaki Ichigo, Gin Ichimaru is going to die anyway. He has been sentenced to death, and this decision is irreversible."

Silence fell in the room. It seemed that Byakuya was not determined to discuss Seireitei laws and punishments with Ichigo Kurosaki this time. His lieutenant, Shane, was just as undisturbed, standing near the bay window.

" Do you know where Orihime is? Or who exactly took her?" Ichigo asked then.

"Yes, it seems ..." Byakuya started.

"That the methods used by his aggressor are that of Onmitsukidō."Suki finished kneeling on a cushion around the table. She handed a cup of tea to the captain of the sixth, and the latter agreed absently before changing his mind. Then he changed his mind again and sipped on it carefully thinking what harm can she do with a cup of tea. He sat down in his seat.

" Onmitsukidō?"

Rukia spoke up.

" Yes. Ichigo, you may never have heard of it in precise terms. But it is the military branch that groups the secret intelligence services."

" They are specialized in espionage and protection." Shane intervened.

His speech had caught the attention of the teenager. But he did not give any more explanation and continued to scrutinize the garden and the surroundings.

" Terashima-fukutaicho summed up rather well the mission of this elite unit that works independently of the other divisions of Gotei 13," Hinamori added timidly.

"I see. I think I heard about it. Is Soi Fon not their leader?" Ichigo asked.

"Captain Soi Fon is at the head of the whole branch. But the status of the Second Division and Onmitsukidō is different."

"Good and the traitor in all this?"

Byakuya got up to go near the window. He folded his arms against his chest.

" Kurosaki, the organization has five divisions. Each of them operating in a specific way. In addition to the management of Soi Fon, Onmitsukidō also operates under the direct command of Central 46. What is known is that the shinigami who acted, did it alone and without the advice of the Central 46. We strongly believe it's the same shinigami who attacked Nanao Ise the other night. At this very moment, Soi Fon is reviewing the records of all members of the organization for a name. This will not take too long."

" Kurotsuchi confirmed that he found traces of Orihime's signature imprint in a Garganta. It means she can only be back in Soul Society." Suki interrupted again, filling in again the plates of Chad and Shane.

"So she is really there. Well, we must leave as soon as possible!" Ichigo announced, bolting from his seat.

" Impossible. We have our orders. Our orders are to ensure the protection of this city and these inhabitants."

Rukia turned to her brother. She didn't expect him to be so tactful. They were primarily here for the benefit of Ichigo and all their friends. But to put it that way would have hurt a certain redhead' s pride. She knew there was no way he would have taken this kindly. She was grateful.

" I don't care! It's not because I have no power that I cannot make myself useful!"

" That's exactly why you cannot make yourself useful!"

"I don't need your help, Byakuya."

" I did not offer it to you, Kurosaki Ichigo."

"What did you come for? Do not tell me it's to protect me! I don't need Gotei's protection, I need help in finding my powers. I need help in finding Orihime. Orihime is my girlfriend! It's up to me to protect her! It's up to me!"

* * *

**Rukia Kuchiki**

4th Seat of the thirteen division under Ukitake Jushiro

Sister of Kuchiki Byakuya

Friend of Ichigo, Renji, Orihime, Chad, and Uryu

Current Liaison Officer

Rukia could swiftly switch at will to stealth and elusive mode in Hostile territory. She learned from the best.

* * *

"...Orihime is my girlfriend! It's up to me to protect her! It's up to me!"

"It's not like Chad, and I have lost our power! We could be of help! We want to help! I think what Ichigo means is that since Orihime is our friend, we wanna be part of the rescue team effort." Ishida tried to intervene.

He was ignored. The entire room was staring at Ichigo. Rukia remained unperturbable as she slowly focused on stirring her tea with a silver spoon.

She looked up, her features stern.

" Listen Ichigo…" She started slowly, her eyes cold but Byakuya took over for her again.

" I am not here to discuss our organization's prerogatives with you. Make no mistake, Kurosaki, this is not a negotiation. There is nothing up to discussion. Like I said earlier, your consent is not warranted for this mission to proceed successfully. I agree to share with you any updates we may have on Orihime Inoue's whereabouts from now on. That is all. Shane, escort everyone home safely."

Byakuya turned on his heels to leave.

"I will take Ichigo home while Shane takes care of Chad and Uryu."

Ichigo said nothing, his features grim. Byakuya nodded.

"Very well, Rukia."

Byakuya silently turned to Shane and simply glared as if somehow Rukia's decision was all the vice-captain's fault. Shane lowered his eyes first. The captain of the sixth squad retired without another word in his office.

They all said their goodbyes in front of the HQ gate. Shane, Chad, and Uryu were way ahead, walking at a fast pace. Soon they disappeared in the night. Ichigo was walking uncharacteristically slowly. Rukia was pretending not to notice. They were crossing the park just behind his house when he decided to unleash on her. It all started as a western duel, with Ichigo suddenly stopping right in the middle of the playground, standing next to the yellow and red climbing castle. She walked a little while longer before realizing he stopped. When she did turn to him, he could see there was no way they were gonna agree on one single thing tonight. Still, the fact that she quit making that Kuchiki poker face and glared in his direction warily was some kind of great victory. At least she was back to being the Rukia he was accustomed to. Rukia was asking herself how it'd come to this, her having to explain every single decision. Why couldn't he just trust her?

**Experience - Ludovico Einaudi**

"You didn't need to do that." He said sternly.

"Do what?"

She didn't like his tone. There was no way to sugarcoat this. Still, she didn't like the way he just said that. She would admit that she wasn't in the mood per say. It wasn't the best time to have this conversation when all she wanted was to avoid bringing a certain someone in it. So she almost growled her answer, her voice was back to be casual and unrefined, a 180° difference with the deferring tone she used earlier to talk to her brother. Trust Ichigo to notice the difference.

"I don't need a babysitter."

"Is that what you think I'm doing?"

Ichigo shrugged.

"I'm just saying I don't think you guys take this very seriously."

"Oh so now, we are not taking these life-threatening situations seriously enough for you! What gives? I forgot you were an expert after all!"

"You know what I mean Rukia."

"No, I don't! We came to help you, but you've been nothing but a pain, Ichigo!"

"I've been a pain? Me?"

"You've complained about almost everything!"

"That's not true…"

"Yes, it is! You don't like our methods! You didn't hide it tonight?!"

Ichigo froze.

"You're talking about Ichimaru. Well, no, I don't condone just killing somebody..."

"But if you could have, you would have killed Aizen…"

"But well I could not ! And he is not dead… He is in jail… Where one who commits a crime should be… I bet you guys didn't even search for an alternative."

"You guys? Really?"

"I know he is your brother, but you don't have to caution everything he does. He can be wrong… Hell, he's been wrong before or else you wouldn't be here. "

Rukia's eyes widened in stupor. Ichigo immediately knew he just stomped on some part of her pride, but he was too angry to stop. If someone asked him, he would be unable to explain what exactly was bothering him right now. It wasn't just Ichimaru. It wasn't just Orihime's fate. It wasn't just Byakuya pushing him in the corner like he was a kid… It wasn't just the fact he blurted out his relationship status in front of an entire room of people. It could be just one thing or everything.

"So now I'm cautioning. I am the villain now."

" Listen, Rukia, you can't tell me you guys came down here for this. Wait and see. We can't call this a strategy… I don't know what you want me to respect about that!"

" Nobody is waiting, Ichigo, that's the whole point! Toshiro is not waiting. Renji is not waiting. They are searching for her everywhere. Hell! Mayuri is starving his entire unit just so that they come up with a way to pinpoint Orihime's location. Everybody is trying so hard. Even my brother, which you utterly disrespected tonight like you always do, is not just waiting."

"Tell me again how did I manage to do that? And since when are you two so close? Can I remind you he ignored you for decades? He almost killed you. I've not heard him being sentenced to death or anything! That doesn't bother you."

"Ichigo?"

"Look… All I'm saying is…"

"No! How dare you?! This is our job. We are no substitute for anything. This is not an extracurricular activity for us. We are Shinigami. This is our duty. We made an oath. It's not about saving one convenient person. It's about maintaining the balance. It's about doing what's right."

"You mean to tell me Orihime's fate isn't that important in the great scale of things?! Or that I'm just a kid who happened to have a bit of power at some point?! That our voices don't matter! "

"That's not what I said, and you know it. Don't make it seems like I don't care, you fucking idiot. I am here. Am I not? I am here for you! Ichigo! I would literally cross the universe for you, and you still would not care."

"Then how come you didn't come sooner…"

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Ichigo…"

"Please drop it. I'm sorry Rukia… You know I always lose my temper with Byakuya. I have not insinuated that…"

"But you did… You do this all the time. We are all trying, and you have no idea what exactly we are dealing with. Did you think you were the only one who just lost someone or something in the battle? Thinking you're the only who is in pain. Thinking you're the only one who can save the day. You never trusted us."

"That's not true… I just think there's something you guys are not telling me… Something vital? See, what was the deal with that new captain? What she said at school?"

"I don't know, Ichigo."

"See, it's always like that. You suddenly don't know what I'm talking about."

"You know what? Think what you want. Choose to believe me or not. I don't care. You wanna know what's bothering you so bad. You're a lone wolf, Ichigo. You only pretend to travel in packs. The truth is you don't trust anybody, Ichigo. You don't trust my brother. You don't trust the Gotei 13. You certainly don't trust me!"

Ichigo said nothing when he knew he should have said something. The way Rukia was looking at him right now was making him feel like he was the worst asshole. He might just be...after all. He might just be… because he wanted to get close to her. He wanted… She did cross an entire universe to be there for him. She was here. They could face this together. That should have matter… But he didn't have the time to tell her anything of value. Something just twisted his insides, like a knife stabbing his stomach. A pearl of sweat ran on his right temple.

"You need to get home," Rukia said sternly.

"And leave you here? Are you kidding? Is it a Hollow? I can't see him, but I think I can sense him somehow!"

Ichigo and Rukia both searched their surroundings for any immediate threat. Something was definitely wrong… The millisecond after that realization. The iron railing in the climbing castle bent out of shape like a straw. And before he knew it… Ichigo was whirled around like in a poney on a carousel, Rukia's hand firmly holding his collar while they danced their way in a circle. Ichigo watched the ground he was sliding on so effortlessly. That footwork. She was moving him in her gigai just as gracefully as if she was in her spiritual form. She held on his collar, and he saw her raised her legs vertically. There was a commotion, and a tree near them exploded under the invisible impact. Another round kick and another hit, they both slid out of reach.

" It's not just any hollow. They're Adjuchas. Adjuchas hunt in packs." She screamed. "Run."

But Ichigo couldn't run. He couldn't just abandon her like that. As if he was still that same powerless kid his mother died to protect. So he looked for a weapon, only found a torn metal bar from the broken castle, and prepared himself to join the melee. A certain brunet was faster than him though, and she disarmed him and grabbed on his shirt again, meanwhile she was trying to evade the enemy.

They went back to dancing until something knock them both. She landed gracefully, assuming a defensive stance. Ichigo landed on his butt.

Rukia turned to Ichigo.

"Are you gonna stay there? I said run."

"I can't leave you here."

"You fool! Save yourself."

"Are you not supposed to be my bodyguard or something? You're supposed to protect me! Bodyguards don't just let their clients run around in panic. I've seen the movies. Let me help you!"

"Unbelievable Ichigo! You wanna start this now!"

She was evading attacks again without even watching behind her. Ichigo watched the strange ballet as she moved around, bent, retreated and pirouetted. She jumped backgrounds and seemed suspended in the air for a couple of minutes. Kicking her right leg forward with pointed toes and flexed calf muscles, she hit her target with sharp precision, and a bench exploded on impact. The ground was shaking.

She took his breath away. Suddenly she turned to him, and that's when his blood froze in his veins. Blood was spreading on her chest, coloring her shirt a crimson color and she stumbled groggily.

"Rukia!"

Ichigo felt it again. Anxiety was stabbing a neat hole in his strong heart. Whatever it was that attacked was behind him. He could not see it. A dark inky substance colored his left eye rapidly.

**"I want you! I want you! I want you! I want you! Come to me! Tasty first class meal! Smells like candy around! Do not move!"**

Ichigo thought he heard someone growl excitedly. Staring above his shoulder, he thought he saw in the left corner of his eye a rhino-looking monster charging toward him.

Ichigo felt the ground shaking under him, and strong winds blew the hair on his face. Then he was at peace again. He opened his eyes and exhaled in relief. Rukia was standing in front of him. Her pale face was ornated with ugly bloody claws on her cheek.

"I am here. I won't leave so suddenly like last time."

He smirked. She smiled back.

" Now let me do my job!"

Rukia fell down into a split and pulled on Ichigo's ankles. As if she magically pulled a rug under him, he clumsily joined her on the ground.

" I killed one. The other is very overweight with tall legs. Stay low on the ground."

She jumped back nimbly on her feet, fighting off the invisible assailant, dragging him away.

**"You didn't just say I was overweight, you bitch!"**

The beast landed a good blow, and Rukia was sent flying toward Ichigo again. She rolled over quickly, covering him with her tiny body. Then everything froze. She froze there.

"Rukia?" He panicked.

He pushed on her a little. No reaction. The blood tainted both their shirts.

"Rukia? Are you alright? Rukia? Talk to me."

Her eyelids fluttered open. She blinked.

"Rukia-pyon is fighting. I am supposed to guard you. Be a good bodyguard, Chappy. She said. I saw the movie too. I'm supposed to hug you tight. We fall in love. I kiss you. Do you wanna do this now?"

Ichigo shook his head comically. Nope. He wasn't down with that. Not with Chappy.

"Will you just tell me what's happening?"

Something hit the lamppost at a fast pace and torn it in an instant.

"Rukia is slicing into his hollow mask pyon. But he is kinda tough, pyon. Don't wanna die."

"Yes, I supposed."

"Master can handle it though. She trained a lot with Byakuya-Sama pyon pyon over the past month. So the hollow can't keep up with her in her spiritual form pyon, she has the speed of a captain now … He is outmatched, poor thing pyon."

Another tree fell. The barrier fell.

"Done. Pyon Pyon. He is gone."

"She 'killed' him?."

"Yup, didn't even use her Shikai, pyon. She looked so great doing it though, pyon."

Ichigo sat down, his arms on his knees, catching his breath. Chappy suddenly sat next to him with a heavy sigh.

"Rukia."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry I pissed you off earlier. That was badass."

Violet eyes filled with mirth, she blushed.

"It's alright, Princess Merida. Let me take you home."

Ichigo chuckled while dusting the dirt from his clothes.

"Are you hurt?"

He said pointing at her open fresh wound.

"Nope, red is actually my favorite color." She winced.

He held out a hand to help her on her feet. She gladly took it.

"Gosh, nevermind that. I hate you."

She laughed and sobered up quickly. She watched him walk away, his hands in his pocket, unaware of just how scared she'd just been earlier. His tall frame went under the neon of a lamppost and just at that moment. Ichigo Fucking Kurosaki seemed to be surrounded by darkness. He was standing there as if he was the center of Rukia's universe. She had then the most painful realization, and it hurt worst than the wound in her stomach. Her legs became wobbly suddenly, but she recovered quickly, her face neutral and focused. She was a Kuchiki after all.

"Me too."

"What?"

"..."

She didn't know what to say.

"I'm still pissed… Ichigo."

He turned toward her, his mouth open slightly, his gaze softening slightly. He simply nodded knowing she was not about to let him get away with this. The tension dissolved in the air like a cloud of dust, they walked the rest of the way to his house in companionable silence, unaware they attracted the wrong kind of attention as they were followed in the shadow.

It followed them to Ichigo's house and waited for their separation. Only then did the looming figure disappear in a cloud of dust and the quiet swoosh of the Don Kanonji keychain tied to his jeans.

* * *

Next chapter = Deep Cover


	18. Deep Cover

-18-

**Deep Cover**

* * *

**Sado Yasutora**

Commonly known as Chad

Guitar teacher

Jalapeños Lover

Friends with Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryu Ishida, Kuchiki Rukia, Orihime Inoue and a bunch of people really

He always considered friends those born without social skills like him. That made for a big crowd. #thesecretlifeofajapaneseteenager

* * *

The sky was a negative image on a dark Polaroid film, with midnight puffy clouds swirling like spilled ink on an empty canvas, all the stars extinguished by the ferocious city lights. Chad stared at the sky for a whole minute before going on his way. They said goodbye earlier. So, he wasn't surprised when he realized Rukia and Ichigo were no longer behind them since his place, and Ishida's were on the opposites side of the city. He also knew these two had a lot to tell each other after that whole debacle earlier. He joined Ishida and Shane as they crossed the banks of the Onose River.

When the sky opened above their heads and let out three sizeable hollows, Chad and Uryu thought it would be an excellent way to unwind after a day like that. However, the vice-captain of the sixth division Shane Terashima had other thoughts it seemed as he ditched his gigai in the blink of an eye to get rid of the hollows in three strikes, killing all the fun. He stepped back in his gigai, like nothing happened, and continued his way. It was all over in a matter of minutes. Chad and Uryu stared at each other comically.

" **Wake Me Up" Avicii Cover (feat. Fleurie) / Produced by Tommee Profitt**

It's not as if the overwhelming sense of utter madness hadn't been present before. Feeling like everything, life was currently throwing at them was ultimately out of their control. The powerlessness tied intricately with their self-esteem. Chad knew exactly what was going on with Ichigo. He felt it first when he was in Hueco Mundo, surrounded by much bigger players than him. The boy fought with his soul. He gave it his whole. He prevailed. Barely. Yet, it became all too clear that he, Chad, had been lucky in the adversary's department. When he thought of people like Grimmjow JaeggerJack or Ulquiorra Schiffer… any of the Espadas for that matter. He knew he was still severely outmatched. It had always been more Ichigo's world than theirs. It all started because of him. He could never have found the strength he had without Ichigo. He wasn't just thinking about his physical strength, his hollow powers. But after his grandfather died, Ichigo was the only one to remind him of the meaning of fighting for what was right, even if it meant nothing would be accomplished in the end, even if it meant ultimately losing the fight. It had been a rollercoaster since, but Chad regretted nothing and would do it all over again if he had to. He would put his life on the line to save Orihime again.

Yet, he knew the risks were higher than ever of them being overpowered, without Ichigo's strength. Their chances were rather slim. They had to work with the shinigamis. It was not a choice.

More unlucky hollows made their entrance on their way home, but Chad and Uryu resigned themselves. In addition to lacking social skills, Shane was definitely not a team player. He ordered them to stand back, and it was not what he said that made them comply, it was more how he said it as if he would not hesitate to strike them dead if they were in his line of fire. The vice-captain had not exchanged a word with them since they left the headquarters.

Ishida had tried making small talk about the weather or the city, asking him if it was his first time around here. But he was met each time with a wall. Chad, for his part, didn't need to try. He would recognize a kindred spirit everywhere, and he knew better than pry too much. Shane made it clear he was not here to make new friends. He understood that. Not everybody wanted a bunch of interpersonal office relationships. Especially the kind that was crossing universal boundaries of life and death. Watch where that got them the first time.

"He probably thinks we would be in his way." He simply said.

"He's the one who is in our way. It feels like we're being invaded." Uryu grunted, ominously pushing his glasses on his nose.

Ishida sat on retaining walls, his legs crossed, his hands in his pocket. Chad shrugged, tilting his head with a frown.

"Invaded. Maybe that's too much of a word, I can agree on that. Still, the shinigami are acting as if this is just an extension of soul society. As if Karakura is their protectorate…"

Well, it kinda was… Well, it most certainly was, Chad thought. He said nothing, knowing that was not what Ishida wanted to hear.

"There is also the matter of Ichigo to be discussed. We are in a dead-end. It's unlikely he will regain his powers anytime soon, if ever. It's not like there is an on/off button to that purpose that we know of. Urahara said he couldn't help. Now Kuchiki is saying the same. If Ichigo had his powers, I don't really think they would hesitate to leverage his help like they did before. Like they did last time…"

Chad didn't say anything and sat down next to him.

"You mean in Hueco Mundo…"

"That general of theirs counted on Ichigo's presence there to distract Aizen from the fact they were making all these preparations… We were pawns in a giant game of chess."

"Yet, they send Byakuya, Kenpachi, Mayuri, Rukia, and Renji…"

"Yeah, I know. "

"Meaning they were at the same time unwilling to sacrifice us completely. It was proof of their goodwill. "

Ishida nodded reluctantly, but he agreed Chad made a point.

" Maybe they also have a plan for Ichigo to recover his powers, so he could be of use again."

" I don't know about that."

"What?"

"I don't know. Byakuya said training Ichigo was not the purpose of their mission. It doesn't seem to be their top priority."

" Doesn't mean they won't eventually do something about it. I can't believe it. I can't believe he lost them forever. Ichigo was stronger than any of us, including some of the most gifted captains there, Byakuya Kuchiki, Kenpachi Zaraki… He also beat Renji. They need him to be strong again."

" Hum, Chad… I don't want to burst your pink bubble, but didn't you sense something off with Rukia… Well, with all the shinigami for that matter..."

Chad lowered his head. He nodded.

"Her reiatsu has never been stronger. But it's not just her…. Anyone of them had a burst of power. The lineup changed. Just look at that vice-captain…"

He pointed at Shane.

"Or can we address the fact that the fifth captain is oozing reiatsu like crazy. I'm sure their mere presence is contributing to attracting all these hollows. We've never seen so many in weeks. I don't doubt not one of them was entirely forthcoming on the matter of Ichigo, but it can't be helped." Ishida continued. " We have to put Ichigo in check. He should stop being so confrontational with these people. We cannot trust they may not turn on us eventually. "

" Ichigo just wants to bring Orihime home safely. He is worried." Chad said slowly.

" Well, he is not getting her back by alienating our allies for sure. We must be smarter than that."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you are his oldest friend. I'm not sure he would listen to anyone except for you or…"

"Rukia…"

"Well, Rukia is not it. She is the powder keg."

"The powder keg?"

Ishida said nothing.

"Ishida, Kuchiki Byakuya can be very reasonable. I don't think it mattered to him whether Ichigo agreed with him or not…"

"It's not just about Kuchiki … Gotei 13 is a large organization. Hell, they just admitted that someone inside it had just kidnapped our friend. All I will be saying is that Ichigo was the one they were interested in. You get that. They are helping him. We were just third wheels. Expendables. Without him, we are just human to these people. We know what they do with problematic humans. I don't trust them."

There was no doubt in Chad's mind, Ishida was referring to the massacre of the Quincy.

"Ishida…"

"We don't even know why they took Orihime of all people. I have my suspicions, but I bet nobody will like my conclusions. I think her relationship with Ichigo was what interested Aizen the most when he had her kidnapped the first time but what if he discovered how great her powers were, while she was captive."

"Aizen is in jail."

"Not dead. Like Ichigo pointed out."

"Her powers are not…"

"What? Evolved enough? Isn't that what it is all about? Evolution? The span in which you can expect your potential and skills to grow exponentially… "

Chad swallowed out.

"What if you could be more than you thought you were?"

"…"

"It's okay. Maybe I'm overthinking. Thoughts are racing through my head. Hear me out Chad. All I'm saying is, we should probably let Ichigo deal with them and stick around people who actually wanna fight by our side. Don't lower your guard."

Chad shrugged.

Later, when Chad found himself alone with the vice-captain, he pondered about what Ishida said.

"I have a gig soon." He randomly said.

Shane did not say anything. He kept walking. Chad's neighborhood was a pretty busy animated one with bars, karaoke, and shops everywhere. It was also not the friendliest neighborhood at night with a crowd of vagrants and drug dealers smoking at the corners.

"We have to get Orihime's back for Ichigo's sake. There is no telling what he will do if something were to happen to her. And if something were to happen to him…"

If something happened to Ichigo, Chad didn't know honestly what he would do. He just knew he was not prepared to walk in this life alone like before.

"That's a pretty direct threat. Sure you wanna do that?"

"It was not a threat. I just have a gig soon… and a tour with my band. I need all of my friends to be there. That would be the last time I see them before a long time."

Shane raised a scarred eyebrow.

"They don't know I'm going to drop out of school."

Shane finally turned toward him in confusion. Was he talking to him? What was that kid saying?

"I don't care much for school anyway. But I want them to be there. So, we have to work together, you and me… Somehow... For all this to happen according to the plan…"

Chad continued.

"You've been in a band too. So, I know that it's not that you're too egocentric… It's not that you don't care… You understand the importance of everybody playing to the same tune."

Shane tilted his head in disbelief.

" What was that?! Why would you tell me all this? What's this about me caring about a bunch of brats?"

"You play music too. Right? Just answer the question."

Shane's eyebrow shot up in amusement.

"What gave me away?"

" Your hands. The way you hold your zanpakutō too. It's a guitarist's hand."

"Shamisen and Sanshui… Anything with cords… I'm a traditional kind of guy really, don't let the tattoos distract you."

Chad said nothing. Shane sighed, cornered.

" Yeah, I do play guitar and Bass at times."

"Meaning you've been here before. In the world of the living."

"You're good. But I also know things about you, Chad. Average grades. Great attendance records. You're an emancipated minor. You live on 269 Oshihotsugi street in a small one bedroom apartment with a new flat screen tv. It was the Kurosaki's family last Christmas gift to you. You have hollow powers, and you're on the top of the list of the people Kurotsuchi Mayuri wants to dissect. You're Hisagi's guitar teacher. He is less terrible since you teach him, I give you that. You succeeded where I gave up a long time ago. So what now? Are we buddy? Can we all sit together and drink sake, while singing songs about a girl with no tits and no brain?"

" That's sounds good to me. Hisagi told me he had a friend who had a guitar. I guess he was talking about you. I always wanted to meet you."

Shane shook his head. Unbelievable.

"Tsk, we used to sneak here all the time with my twin sister. Noble Houses all disposed of their own gates. She was the true collector in our family. One day, she picked up an electric guitar in a shop. It was in a busy neighborhood in Tokyo very much like this one… back in the '70s. And true to her character, she challenged me with her loud mouth to learn how to use it. She wanted me to write songs for her because our selfish older cousin who got all the music lessons he ever wanted, with the best tutors in Soul Society, told her he will never teach her or allow her to take lessons… because she had no use for it according to him..."

"She's gone now, I suppose. Your sister?"

Shane said nothing, his eyes sharp.

"My family is gone too. Ichigo is like my brother…"

" I see…"

"Orihime..."

"That girl Orihime… She will be fine. The orders of Yamamoto-Sotaicho were absolute. Captain Kuchiki may be a lot of things, some of them really unpleasant, but following orders is his specialty. He will never let anything happen to her on his watch. That also means his duty is mine. We take duty very seriously in our family as you know."

"You don't really like your captain."

"Like is a word we don't use in my family."

" Rukia said you're part of the Kuchiki clan. You're her brother's kin."

"My point exactly… Best noble house in the universe…Not very warm and chummy though."

Chad nodded, smiling.

" Well as I was saying… I have a gig soon. I wish you would come, Shane. Can you pass along my invitation to Hisagi too."

Shane smirked.

"You don't know anything about me. Your friend seems to think we Shinigamis are just trained killers with no free will. He thinks we still live like we are at war with Quincys when most of us were not born when that thing happened."

"Ishida is dealing with some… stuffs right now. I know you love music almost as much as me. That's a good start…"

"For what?"

"I don't know. Friendship?"

"If it's a criterion you should invite captain Kuchiki too…"

Chad shook his head, embarrassed. Shane grinned and burst into laughter.

"Alright, you're on… I will come to your gig… and won't say anything about you skipping town… But about that family you don't have, I wouldn't be too sure about that if I were you." He said pointing at a tall brunet, sitting on the news vending machine in front of Chad's apartment building. Shane tapped Chad's shoulder.

"Try not to drop everything without telling this one."

Chad raised an eyebrow at that. Without another word, Shane gave him a wink and went on his way. Ryo Kunieda stood up when she saw him.

"Wasn't that the Kuchikis' driver?"

Chad shrugged.

"What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting to see you?"

"Thought I'd surprise you…"

"No cram school tonight?"

"You evaded all my questions. Isn't that Kuchiki's driver? I think I saw him earlier today. A girl in our class wants to give him a box of chocolates. She is so clueless."

"You look like you've been waiting a while."

Ryo laughed, shaking her head. It looks like she wasn't about to get the answer to that particular question any time soon. She hugged him instead.

" I am a bad girl again."

"I see… you got into an argument with your mother."

"I got weird tastes in boyfriends. She said. Will end up on the streets just like my brother."

Chad lowered his eyes and sighed.

"You're the second best student in the whole school."

"She refused to be aware when she is on her prescription pills."

"I'm sorry about that."

"If only she knew what kind of lame boy Scout you were?"

" You could always tell her!" He said opening the lobby door for her.

She turned teasingly with a grimace.

"Nah!"

He noticed she wasn't wearing much, bombers, skimpy shorts, colorful tights and an oversized sweater. She looked nothing like the model student with the perfect grade she portrayed herself to be at school.

"So did you and your friends find Orihime?"

"No. Not yet…"

He unlocked the door of his studio apartment and invited her in. She dropped her jacket on the table.

"Oh! If you make that face, it's bad news."

"I have a "bad news" face now?"

She nodded getting closer to him.

"Hum Hum… and a "happy face"… and her "more cheese and jalapenos on my nachos" face… And an "I'm gonna cum face"…"

Chad's face heated up at once. Kunieda always said the most brazen things with the most straight forward look. It fascinated him and embarrassed him at once. Yasutora hanged his coat and took off his boots.

"I ate already but do you wanna order something?"

"Your treat?"

He smiled again.

"Okay. I'm gonna go wild on a burger, Mister. I'm going to do insane things to it. You've been warned."

He let his hands wander the small of her back. She dragged him to the sofa where he sat first, and she sat in his lap.

" I hope she will be okay. Orihime, I mean. You told me a little about the weird things happening in this town. Some of them, I'm still trying to process… "

"Sorry about that."

"Stop apologizing for all the things out of your control. I'm glad. It gets everything in perspective when your mother believes you're whoring yourself out and ruining your future while being valedictorian, and a track star to boot, to know that they are real monsters and powerful spirits and ghosts, and gods out there…Life is crazy… I am not alone! As a bonus, my boyfriend is a hero… And a bass player in a hot band."

"I am not. I get outclassed by almost every protagonist in this story. I'm a supporting character at best."

"Still my knight in shining armor… and didn't you say Ichigo lost his powers in his last fight?"

" Well, yeah, it's making everything difficult right now. The situation with Orihime. Rukia's return. He is not taking all this very well. I don't know how to help him. It's so messed up."

Chad said.

" It's going to be fine."

She gave him a quick peck on the mouth.

"You can stay here if you want."

"I was hoping you were gonna say that."

" You brought your homework?" Chad said, pointing at her bag on the floor.

" A ton of them… Outsmarting a school filled with weird outcast teenagers too busy averting apocalypses and disasters takes training."

"You do it effortlessly, I might add."

"Oh, smooth! So smooth! Look at you! You're so gonna get laid tonight!"

"Ryo!"

"You're blushing. I love it when you get all pink on me. I love it. I love you."

Words couldn't accurately express what he felt for her. Chad linked their fingers together while they cuddled on the sofa. She was shooting him a look that had just the right amount of softness. Maybe Terashima-san wasn't so far off. This really looks like a family.

"I know about the tour…"

He opened his eyes wide in surprise.

"Smart girlfriend. Remember?"

He sighed.

"I was going to tell you… to tell everyone… when everything would be settled…after we find Orihime and…"

"I know. That's okay."

"It's a great opportunity to be signed on a label… You're gonna be a Rockstar… I know. I'm going to be your manager. Smart girlfriend, remember?"

"Ryo…"

"I will graduate. But I am not going to waste my life in college. No way! I want to go to Soul Society fulfilled."

"That is insane. You will be accepted in the best schools in this country. It is a given."

"I don't care. I can take correspondence courses and other classes online. We're going to be rich anyway and live in Acapulco, Mexico."

"Ryo…"

"Will you marry me then?"

Chad blushed.

"You're always gonna take the word out of my mouth?"

Ryo nodded vigorously with a wicked smile.

"Yup, pretty much your whole life."

Family. Alright.

* * *

**Kuchiki Byakuya**

Captain of the sixth division

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Few things could make him move from his positions once he put his mind to it, Kurosaki should have known already. Yet…

* * *

Byakuya Kuchiki did not particularly like the world of the living. When Yamamoto had ordered him to go there, with Suki Ichinose in tow, he did not feel like protesting because it was his duty. But really, there was nothing particularly pleasant in this world. He found the real-world dirty, polluted, and noisy. Kurotsuchi had provided decent accommodation, and he had done rather well this time. He'd almost expected to take a room in a dirty low-class motel or sleep under the stars. He raised his head to the sky, draped in black. There were no stars in this sky under which they could rest. Everything was smaller and stuffier. The garden, nevertheless, illuminated by modern, bright spots, could have hosted a large meeting of women shinigami around its pool. It looked almost enchanted.

Ichigo's friends had gone home. It had been much harder to convince him. But Byakuya knew that Ichigo Kurosaki had never been someone easy to convince.

" We have to leave now!"

"Impossible. We have our orders. Our orders are to ensure the protection of this city and its inhabitants."

"I don't care about your orders! It's not because I have no power that I cannot make myself useful!"

"That's exactly why you cannot make yourself useful, you Fool!"

" I don't need your help, Byakuya."

"I never offered to help you, Kurosaki Ichigo. Let's make things abundantly clear."

" What did you come for? Don't tell me it's to protect me! No! I don't need protection Gotei's protection, I need help in finding my powers. I need help in finding Orihime. Orihime is my girlfriend! It's up to me to protect her!"

Kurosaki was a clumsy teenager. He was a mediocre sketch of a human soul, barely mature, born just seventeen years earlier. Byakuya had to remember that before retorting just as harshly. Ichigo's always been harsh. That was in his blood. Well, with idiotic and irresponsible parents, you get an irresponsible child. Byakuya admitted readily to have a short fuse in his younger years. Little boys couldn't do anything against their nature, while men were wise enough to conform to societal norms and think before they open their mouths. The captain of the sixth squad did not need to turn his head towards Rukia to know the impact his words had had on her. He heard it all, the sound of Rukia's shattering heart rolling on the floor. Just for that, he wanted to reduce Ichigo Kurosaki to stardust once this story was finished. He would call it an accident in his report. Kuso! They were all so young!

Rukia nodded bravely as if this trivial piece of information was easy for her to digest. She kept her features schooled. She was a Kuchiki, after all. He was still amazed at their similarities. He would probably have done the same thing. But like him, Ichigo had not been fooled. Their quarrel had stopped there. The Quincy had tried to intervene, but really Byakuya felt that this discussion was between him, and Ichigo, between former foes, turned allies, cementing that fragile bridge they had because of Rukia. Ichigo had also ignored his friend and had swallowed the rest of his argument as if he realized he went too far. Byakuya ordered Shane to escort them all. Rukia had also offered to go.

When later, he started a videoconference with Yamamoto, reporting what Ichigo had said, he could see something was bothering his commander.

" Can you confirm the state of Kurosaki Ichigo's powers as inactive?"

Byakuya remained silent in front of the screen. He remembered the way Ichigo was staring at the shaking bay windows… How something emanated from Ichigo and Suki Ichinose at the same time… The way he looked at her as if he knew something was off with her. He was supposed to have lost all connection with their world. Their gigais were even specifically built to make it easier interacting with Kurosaki in his current condition. But Keikosuki's reiatsu had proven strong enough to manifest in her gigai… He wasn't merely talking about super strength and speed, which they all have. She could manifest psychokinetic powers in a gigai, and that was unheard of.

"Something unusual, you'd like to report Captain Kuchiki?"

Byakuya frowned slightly, coming out of his thoughts.

"I… No, there were no events of particular substance... It really seems like Ichigo Kurosaki had lost all his powers."

"How is Ichinose-Taicho faring in the World of the living?"

Byakuya swallowed hard.

"She is adapting."

"Nothing you'd like to report?"

Byakuya frowned.

"No, Yamamoto Sotaicho. Nothing of substance."

"Thank you, Kuchiki-Taicho. You're dismissed. Enjoy the rest of your night."

Byakuya was in the worst disposition now as he strolled in the garden.

"He's even more stubborn than somebody I know. Ichigo Kurosaki, the boy who managed to bend Kuchiki Byakuya, is exactly how I imagined. I'm very impressed. I should take a few pointers from him."

Anything could impress that woman, he noted. She burst out laughing. And anything could make her laugh too.

"I'm joking Captain Kuchiki. It's just a joke. Lighten up!"

Her laugh was melodious but not contagious. She could laugh so freely like she didn't need an audience. He could stare at her with a straight face for an infinite amount of time. Her cheeks were so plump and edible.

" You don't need much to get impressed, do you?" He told her defiantly, his hands in his pockets.

She frowned and looked at him, curiously.

" Well, you impress me the most, you cranky old man! So, I won't say it's just nothing."

He turned toward her, caught off-guard. She was still smiling mischievously.

"You have a lot of respect for him. Ichigo, I mean. I can see it. You talk about him the same way you talk about Abarai-Taicho. "

What was Renji doing in this conversation? Byakuya stared at the young woman with suspicion. Could it be that these two ... The very idea of this particular pairing together left him perplexed.

" You think you can read me like an open book?"

She shrugged and shook her head sadly.

"Sadly, I'm not much of a reader."

"You get bored easily, I noticed."

"So, you seemed just as fascinated with me as I am with you, Kuchiki-sama. I like that!" She said matter-of-factly, with a hint of casualness, as if she didn't just point out the core nature of their relationship. And she smiled again… with cherry red lips.

While she smiled seemingly innocently, Captain Kuchiki was busy trying to find a way out of having this conversation with her. He changed the subject. A fleeting emotion illuminated her features in the dim light. She looked irremediably broken. This woman was a born actress. Because behind that smile, there was nothing but pain. No one could switch emotions so easily… Aside from her immoderate taste for food, everything was artificial at home. It had to. Don't fall for it. He swallowed hard.

" Are you happy with your accommodations?" He asked out of the blue.

He reasoned immediately that he could use her input in his report. Didn't Yamamoto asked him earlier how she was doing?

"Nice! Very comfortable! It's a bit cramped, and the kitchen is rather small… It's quite difficult to manage a household with so little space to plan and prepare… But I am adjusting just fine. I love the world of the living. It's such a wonderful place, full of wonder. There's this thing in my kitchen, which is like an oven but not quite! It's so exciting! I've never been here before. And you ?"

"I came… a couple of…"

Of course, she did not wait for an answer from him and continued in the same cheerful tone.

"I don't know it just feels quite homey after a while."

"I thought you hated this place."

"I changed my mind." She said casually.

"You do that a lot."

"It's good for the soul. You should try it. Changing your mind. It's like gymnastics for the brain, and it makes our soul shinier and more supple, and more flexible, puffier, and I dare say tastier. Tastier is the best."

"One's soul? "

"Yes? Didn't you know? You should ask the boring old guy upstairs? Sure you could be friends, you two? You're so into the same things."

"The boring old…"

" The people here are so full of ... life! So nice! So welcoming! So suspicious! So deadly! So fragile! So passionate! And they change their mind all the time! Did you see Kurosaki change his mind tonight? It was like lightning! So quick! So sharp! Very entertaining… Oh ! And they are hungry! Have you seen? They are hungry all the time! That is what I like the most!"

Byakuya stared as she approached the pool. He was not sure he followed her entirely. What she said made no sense whatsoever. But she said it with so much glee and persuasion, some part of it almost made sense to him. For a brief moment, the woman stared at her reflection, watching it rippled in the chlorinated water. The expression that darkened her green eyes was new, and Byakuya did not recognize it. She started on the path that ran along the pool and Byakuya stopped her. Without letting go of the grip he had on her forearm, he filled the distance between them to stand behind her.

"Tell me, why are you so obsessed with food?"

She turned to him and placed a small hand against his chest to keep him at a reasonable distance, it also marked the return of her mischievous smile.

"Wouldn't you like to know? I would have exchanged this information for a favor."

He let go.

"But really, it's not very interesting, and I would not want to waste your time. I'm going back inside. Tell your sister, I left some dinner in the kitchen for her."

He hesitated.

"I've got time."

She seemed surprised.

"Time? It's all we seemed to have, you and me, Kuchiki-sama. I don't particularly remember the academy. Sometimes it comes to me in short flashbacks… I don't know what will happen when I become as old as my father and my mothers. Do you think we will all have to forget half our life in order to make room for new memories?"

"That's the kind of question you used to ask the teachers all the time when we were children. Silly questions with no answers. Yet, I don't remember a girl who liked cooking that much… I remember that back then you disliked everything that required any amount of work."

"You remember me…"

"A lazy girl, incredibly stubborn and determined to live her precious childish life fully. I was the exact opposite. I wanted to be in control of my life as an adult for as long as I can remember. So I remember the chubby little girl with sparks of gold in her brown hair very well. "

"True. I was chubby. I always like cake too much."

He didn't say she looked adorable even then but well… Suki removed the ribbons that held her hair and brushed down her hair with her fingers. Spreading her mane, she showed him the tiny sparks of gold in the back, just where his zanpakutō chopped her golden locks a month ago. Her hair was growing back in this area of her head, although in a chaotic fashion.

"See, A part of me is still that girl."

They stared at each other while the wind finished undoing her bun.

" My father, you must have heard he is a great man. He has only one obsession in life: cooking. One passion. Body and soul, he is entirely devoted to his art ... When I was younger, I did not want to be like him. I did everything not to be like him. You know everyone said of me that I liked to fight windmills. Since I was very young, tiny, insignificant things are important to me when other things are not. I don't know. He liked it so much cooking. At times I wonder if he remembered us…"

She sighed again.

"It may not make sense. But I did not understand the importance of gastronomy for my father. I did not understand his love for it that seemed to exceed the love he had for his family. The years went past. I did something stupid. My father sacrificed everything to save just this one… So, after that, maybe tired of fighting, rebelling against the wind again, making stupid mistakes, no doubt, I fell asleep for several decades.

He could see it now. She was walking in the middle of a torn battlefield. Her. Just a child at heart. She walked among the dead. How? Had he wanted to ask. But he did not dare interrupt the babbling of Suki Ichinose. In the dim light, her green eyes seemed almost translucent.

"I was not hungry anymore. I was not thirsty anymore. I did not feel a thing anymore. When I woke up ... Let's say things were not like before. Father was not like before."

She moaned, biting her lips bravely. Byakuya brushed her neck immediately, fingers sliding along his chin strap, captivated by the imperceptible movement of skin when a sound emanated from her and the way her mane captured the light. She sighed, her eyes closed.

" I did not find things as I left them. I… I wanted something back from that life. And I was hungry ... I was hungry like I never was before. For life. For family. For friendship. For love. For everything, I've lost while I was asleep. Do you have an idea of how that feels? Clinging to the past… Thinking that if you changed sooner, if you did, well… "

If he had an idea, Byakuya believed he invented the concept.

"Food is all those things. It's me clinging to life. It's love. It's about what we are. It's about family and friendship and healing… I am a bad person. I did some terrible things, Kuchiki-sama. I like that you can see that too. I know you, like my father, will never let me off the hook easily. You won't fall in love with me. You won't spare me."

She was still smiling. Byakuya sneered and put his hands in his pockets. As if he could fall in love with such an imperfect creature!

"At least not before having tasted my cuisine! I am jesting! Just jesting!"

A new playful sneer.

"It will not happen." He said simply, not finding any humor in that. "I admit I went astray last time. But that will not happen anymore."

He did not know how many times he had repeated the same thing while trying to form some kind of unshakable resolution. He was really determined not to fall under the artificial charms of this woman. His resolve was intact.

And even though he was about to fill the distance between the sun and the moon to kiss her, it was just another proof that his resolutions were still relevant. If he tasted her lips just once, he could more easily get rid of his illusions of romance. He could more easily get Suki Ichinose out of his system. That was his belief.

However, Suki stepped back quickly, inhaling sharply, making certain Byakuya understood why he liked her so much, she was also good at keeping him at bay. All that Byakuya Kuchiki felt was, of course, the bitter taste of her refusal. For an indefinite amount of time, he stared at the floor without being able to look into her eyes. He did not want confirmation by reading her eyes. He did not want to lose face because the rejection flayed his ego. Twice.

"All right, good night, Kuchiki-Sama. I appreciated our little talk. Tomorrow will be another day, you see. Ichigo will come around."

Did she know? Was she aware of the suffering she was inflicting on him? Byakuya Kuchiki had never needed oxygen so much.

" I guess we will not have time to see the beach. I have never seen the ocean."

She had to know. Suki turned on her heels.

"I have a terrible feeling, Kuchiki-Sama ... Please don't get killed tomorrow."

Byakuya still felt her doubts and fears shining around her, rubbing on his reiatsu.

" Keikosuki?"

" Besides my father, did you know that you were the only person who ever calls me by my real name?"

"I apologize if…"

"No, don't do that. It really makes me happy. You really remind me of him a lot. What is it?"

She had another sneer that Byakuya found most painful. He looked away again.

"Last time you said you were ... already committed to someone. If you allow me to ask this question, where is your husband?"

"Just like dad. You asked that question. How strange? My spouse is in every particle of air that surrounds us, maybe. Or reincarnated into a cute furry animal. What do I know about it? He is dead. My father killed him."

They both observed a minute of silence.

"What kind of man was he?" He heard himself ask, strangely not caring about the fact she just told him her father murdered her first love. He just wanted to know what kind of men could leave this Suki-chan.

She folded her arms over her chest with a smile.

"He was like you, like my father, the kind of man with deep convictions, with a cemented resolve, with a moral compass not easily stirred in the other direction, so the type of men to make women like me cry."

Byakuya released all the air into his lungs. He was decidedly intrigued. He suppressed an annoyed grunt. He did not know how to take this. Did she think he would feel flattered? Had she said that to flatter his ego? It didn't seem like it. That did not answer his question frankly, did it? He was about to reiterate his question from a different angle when he saw the shadow of a large, limpid tear at the corner of her green eyes. He changed his mind immediately.

"I have rather grown accustomed to your Kenseikan... Can't believe I miss them…"

Byakuya ended up pushing an irritated grunt. But after leaving her flickering imprint in the air, the plague had dematerialized. He could hear her in the kitchen, handling pots and pans. He sighed deeply and lowered his head, staring at the shiny lawn.

This was not happening. Keikosuki was not ... Hisana. This woman was ... She was pushing him to the limit. In all honesty, nothing about this woman charmed him. He was intrigued. But that stopped there. It had to stop there. She was the antithesis of Hisana. She did not know modesty and humility. And maybe she knew them too well at times ... But there were too many things he didn't like about her. She would make a horrible and careless wife. She would make a godawful mother for children who would already be resenting Byakuya for being born in the Kuchiki Family. Those children would stand absolutely no chance. She would challenge him constantly. She would be unwilling to agree on anything. She was a little insane. He was apparently deranged. The most obvious reason that was brought to his attention like an obstacle, a wall of China which it was impossible for him to cross even with goodwill. He could never have confused the emotion in her eyes. She feared him. No woman who felt this kind of feelings for a man would give herself to him voluntarily ... She would never return his feelings.

What feelings? Now he began to wander like an old man. He did not have any. Suki-chan ... Suki-Dono... Keikosuki was probably a little less unbearable than ... He had no point of comparison.

She and her heady perfume were just a little less unbearable today. Byakuya had only considered kissing her. Nearly half a century without Hisana ... Roughly half a century without female companionship would be long and painful for any man. However, he was stronger than his desire. His desire was nothing in the face of his will and his principles.

He was not going to start a stupid, superficial, futile, and above all, without a future relationship with Suki Ichinose. This woman was more complex in her confection than a "mille-feuille" (She undoubtedly would have appreciated that analogy). Layer after layer, he always sailed in unknown territory. Artificial. That's how he would have described it if he hadn't noticed the tears she had refused to pay for her deceased husband. Husband, she was still calling "husband." Who was he laughing at? Hisana was still part of him. He was still expecting her to walk past her in the hallway of the vast mansion. He still expected to see her frail figure on the first steps of the terrace every time he practiced in the garden. He still thought sometimes of how useless being rich and powerful could be when one was unable to save his beloved wife from her worst instincts. It was a naive thought, wasn't it?

Today, Byakuya had responsibilities. He was going to organize a new Miai, and he would personally ensure that Suki Ichinose was neither the caterer nor on the guest list ... and then he would also condemn all the secret passages of Yachiru Kusajishi. Then, he would find a sweet and charming wife, fragile and innocent, pretty and without much artifices. She would be a woman worthy of his rank and responsibilities, a woman who would not impose her useless chatter on him, a woman who would not babble on the different species of coffee seeds that was found in the living world, a woman who would not rave about the microwave oven like a child, a woman who would only wear pastel colors, a woman who would not smile. Yes, that was it. He hated her smile. It was generally too confusing.

Byakuya felt a headache coming. He fumed. Enough!

" Nii-Sama?"

He raised his head towards the back of the garden. Rukia finished climbing the wall in her gigai in a very inelegant manner. She dropped herself on the floor. Why didn't she use the door? She dusted the dirt on her clothes, and he immediately noticed her shirt was tainted with blood.

" I just walked Ichigo back. I didn't want to wake anyone up. I have just encountered three adjuchas earlier.

Byakuya pursed his lips together, annoyed, at the thought that Rukia still encountered a hollow when he had explicitly asked Shane to be thorough in his patrol. He was going to have an unpleasant conversation with Shane. Rukia lowered her head. Byakuya walked towards her carefully.

"Rukia? Do you want me to call for medical assistance?"

She shrugged.

"Of course not. This is nothing. I mean it is only the results of my own clumsiness."

"Will you let me take a look at it, at least?"

She shook her head quickly, her lips trembling almost imperceptibly, her eyes gleaming in the darkness.

"I am so useless. I don't want to be useless. I want to be strong just like you, I swear. I want to make you proud, Nii-sama."

Byakuya felt the air leave his lungs as he exhaled. He wasn't that strong. He couldn't watch her get hurt without feeling the electricity coursed his fingers. She was just looking so much like Hisana. Perhaps training her was her lousy decision, or maybe he needed to touch on the subject he dreaded so much. Ichigo Kurosaki. The affection she felt for him had to be contained ... by all means. She had to realize that it would not go further with this retarded teenager.

Rukia lifted her chin up and sighed.

"I am fine. You don't need to worry."

Worry. How trivial the way she said that as if she thought he could just stop doing that like he could stop breathing in this gigai! She smiled.

"I'll go to bed if you do not need anything, Nii-Sama."

At her words, he felt almost relieved. Rukia was a full-fledged shinigami. She had to make her own choices.

"Very well. Tomorrow, you'll go to school with Kurosaki and his friends while Shane and Hinamori will patrol the city. Does this suit you?"

Rukia nodded, unable to stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks. She could not believe she could be so weak. Rukia had worked hard to be a little less ... to no longer be a burden. She'd figured that the next time she saw him, she would have been powerful enough to protect him. How could she envy Orihime? Of all people, Orihime was her dear friend. She should not begrudge her friend's happiness.

"I'm disappointed in myself. Sorry, Nii-Sama! I will be stronger, I promise."

For all the love of all cherry blossoms, Byakuya Kuchiki could never have found the words. He was already struggling to reinforce his own resolutions. What was certain, he was hardening himself to make that choice for her. If things got worse, he was going to make that choice for her. Free will be damned. It was the least of things if that meant protecting her happiness. That boy was not good enough for her, regardless of his heritage. He was ready for her to despise him again. Rukia was all that remained of Hisana. He reached out, imprisoned her shoulder between his fingers. Her little body stiffened. She resisted. He wrapped both arms around her head and hugged her. She was all that was left of the only woman he had ever loved. Rukia pressed her head against his chest reluctantly, and she sobbed. Honestly, Byakuya did not know how long they stayed standing in the darkness, under the watchful gaze of Suki Ichinose.

Perhaps several hours or a couple of minutes later, he lifted Rukia, who had fallen asleep standing and met face to face with Shane, back from his patrol. Captain and vice-Captain shared an uncompromising look, the kind of hostile look one would give to his worst enemy. Shane was the first to lower his head and open the door for Byakuya.

" When I say sweep the perimeter, Shane… I don't intend for Rukia to find anything to fool around with."

"Fair enough. Next time, I will be more thorough." Shane simply said.

Byakuya made his way upstairs and put Rukia down softly on a futon near Hinamori. Then he went to bed determined he had to take care of the problem Ichigo Kurosaki represented later.

* * *

**Next chapter = The Garden of the Heart**


	19. The Garden of the Heart

* * *

**Orihime Inoue**

Full-time high school student in Karakura

Damsel in distress

Kurosaki Ichigo's girlfriend

For reasons she was totally unaware of, Orihime Inoue was constantly being harassed by Hollow "headhunters".

* * *

**Efficio Cross - If only you knew how much I love you**

Her eyelids quivered softly as she returned to herself. When she opened her eyes, the sky literally fell on her. An almost artificial blue, cloudless for miles, it extended as far as her eyes could see. The hot rays of the sun caressed every inch of her skin. A breeze ruffled her flamboyant hair on her face. The bed of wild grass on which the girl was lying tickled her body and she spread slowly. She was half-buried under wild red tulips. Orihime jumped up and swept the field of flowers. At first, she did not recognize the landscape. The countryside ... The towers of the Seireitei ... The towers were just three tiny black dots on the skyline.

She brushed her neck softly.

She was wearing a leather collar. A reiatsu inhibitor. She remembered now. Her memories were intact. She scanned her arms and legs for traces of gore, or other sticky traces of her nightmare. As tiny as they may be, they were there, scarlet spots on her peach skin. Her pajamas were torn at the foot. There were also a few blood-stains here and there. An oversized fingerprint marked her ankle where Enzo had tried to grab her. The light breeze swept the valley. Orihime shuddered again but it was not because of the wind. She heard footsteps and investigated the source of the commotion. He was a vision all by himself in the middle of the ocean of tulips. He seemed to realize how out of place he was as his hands barely brushed the blossom in reverence.

" Ulquiorra?"

He raised his head briefly in her direction. Fascinated by the foraging of a bee, he resumed his contemplation.

Orihime approached the Espada slowly.

"Ulquiorra?"

He turned his head to her.

"Necessary. What this creature does is necessary for the survival of its prey. This is Interesting."

" Yes? Are you all right?"

"Well, you're the one who fainted, woman?"

"Yes. True."

"My knowledge of the world vastly overcome what your human brain can even begin to comprehend…"

She didn't know why she was blushing now, it wasn't what he said, but perhaps the way he briefly looked at her while he said it.

" Yet, I feel disconnected from everything else but you. As if this bee doesn't exist... As if the sun in the sky was not boiling my Hierro… I do not understand why."

Orihime paused in front of him. The wind ruffled their hair again and the flowers crawled in a reverence. Ulquiorra grabbed a dry twig in her red hair. Orihime wanted to grab one of his hands in hers. But he evaded her attempt skillfully, pushing his hands in his pockets.

"Then why? Why did you save me?"

He pulled away from her and looked up at the sky as if each cloud was a new discovery. No, he looked up at the sky as if he thought he would find an answer. During this brief moment, Orihime could almost forget his hollow nature. Life was dancing in his emerald pupils. The reflection of the sky ... The passage of several wild ducks ... The ballet of the poppies dancing in the breeze ... His head tilted toward the sky in that same position, he was staring at her again, in that almost impossible position that reminded Orihime that he was not human.

"I did not save you. Your soul was in danger. If I had left you in the hands of Enzo Weavorpine, you would not have survived. It was a calculated risk. You did not change. You are still weak, woman." Ulquiorra rationalized.

Orihime lowered her head. It was probably true. She did not feel that changed since their last meeting. She was still a burden mostly. She still had idiotic dreams. She still thought that no one should die in this war. Orihime blinked twice suddenly, thinking of her friends… Thinking of Ichigo. Then, she shook her head frantically, suddenly snapping out of some reverie, refuting his last claim. Of course, she had changed over these past few months, she was nothing like the naive girl he managed to convince to betray her friends for the greater good. No, she won't believe anything he would say anymore. She was not the same person. She could read him today too. Read in his intentions. Read how he didn't have all the answers. She was not stupid ... She would not let herself be ...

"Besides, I remembered. You showed pity on me once."

Orihime frowned and stared at him curiously. Ulquiorra said that so casually. Was she dreaming? Did she imagine the emotion in his eyes? Was he really in front of her? Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her? Maybe he was just a substitute for the pain? Maybe she was still in Enzo's hands? She touched his face with the other hand. Ulquiorra tilted his head to the side as if to avoid this contact. He resigned himself, nonetheless. Her fingers touched the marble of his face ... He was solid under her fingers. He had returned at last.

" You're damaged."

He said with an ounce of disdain.

" I acted too late."

The young woman was watching him in such a strange way that Ulquiorra found no other explanation. She must be damaged. Orihime ignored him to keep touching the dark line on his pale face. He looks… damaged. He looked damaged too.

"Did you really die?"

" More than one time. I am an Espada, woman. I am dead. Was born dead."

"But I saw you disappear. There was nothing left... I could not stop it. I couldn't stop it… I'm sorry ... I ... I tried…in my mind… But it was so sudden."

She stared at him with gleaming eyes. Why would she have wanted to stop the inevitable? The Espada wondered. If he had not died that day, the duel would never have ended. An unfinished fight it would be. Ulquiorra would never have folded in front of the Hollow and Shinigami Hybrid. Ichigo Kurosaki did exactly what was needed. But for Orihime, it seems like it was yesterday, she had seen him disintegrate in front of her, just like she watched life fade in her brother's eyes. Death. A definitive scar on her heart. Orihime shook her head to erase this image.

"This is not something I can explain to a puny human with limited intellectual abilities like you. I was dead. I did not exist anymore. A Primeros brought me back."

" You mean. Those horrible monsters? Pri-me-ros? Who are they ?"

"They are not Espadas. They are not shinigami. They are a few things between the two of them too. Aizen created them. These are the first ones. The Primeros. The first results of his research."

"They are monsters. What they did to this man! There was nothing but madness in his eyes. It ... I felt like I was in the museum of horrors and ... All that blood!"

"Primeros feed like Adjuchas and their hunger is close to that of a level 1 Hollow. They are affected by their past lives and nurtures regrets. It makes them stronger and inherently more dangerous creatures."

"They are here for Aizen."

"Well, he always anticipated all possible outcomes. That's what made him the best leader. The fact he could see the future."

"The future…"

"But the Espadas…"

"They have fallen."

" Right… They can't do anything! I mean it's too late! Aizen can no longer hurt anyone from a jail cell. That's a good thing. Ulquiorra, this is how it should be."

" Is that what you think Muken is? A simple jail. "

Orihime said nothing, confused.

"The hollows remember. This war is coming anyway."

"What are you talking about? This is insane! For Aizen?! Why so many people have to die for him? It is insane! There should be no war. Nobody should have to die! "

Orihime sobbed, trying to stifle her screams and hiccups, failing miserably. Ulquiorra slowly extended his arm and touched her cheek with the tip of his index finger. He licked it as if it was the most delicate flavor. Without warning, Ulquiorra imprisoned her little face between his cold palms and planned to drink directly at the spring. If he took off her eyes, would her tears flow like a fountain? Anatomically, it would be impossible. Her soul would disintegrate. Humans were really too fragile. Nevertheless, he could not help thinking about it. Orihime wanted to move away but the pressure he exerted on her was almost unbearable.

"Ul-quiorra ..."

Her sobs redoubled as Ulquiorra's tongue came into contact with her cheek. He was ... He licked her cheek. Somewhere, his gesture echoed throughout her body. She felt like the earth would shake beneath her feet and yet she couldn't move out of his grasp. Orihime let out a sigh. She struggled violently with the intensity of her feelings. She closed her eyes.

**Position Music - Desolation (Epic Powerful Action)**

" Ulquiorra ... Stop .."

She felt the ground slip beneath her feet as he lifted her up into the air. She pushed him away with all her strength. A hand on his forearm she tried vainly to keep him at a distance, but it was as hard as stone, unmovable, unshakeable. She was nothing really. Ulquiorra followed the flow of her tears to her neck. Orihime prepared herself to strike again, even if that meant she'd lose the use of her right hand! She had to do something! Any minute now… Any minute… She would die now.

If he took her heart right now, would she continue to shed tears? Chanted the beast in him. No ... No ... If he broke her it into several pieces ... Just a little at a time, would she continue crying? This little sound of disgust she emitted, would she continue? He returned to her face and licked her nose. If he bent her a certain way, her tears dripped directly on the tip of his tongue. Thirst. Hunger. To break. Snatch. Break down her little mortal soul. He was hungry. He was hungry and that had not happened since ... Significant detail, he could not remember. He let out a groan. He had to feed the beast quickly. Otherwise, he would regress. **Regression. Death. Extinction.** He allowed himself to collect the film of salt on her lips.

Orihime screamed at his mouth and he grunted impatiently back. It was not too good to irritate the Beast. He had to feed himself. What to give him to appease to him? His tongue touched that of the girl. Orihime opened her eyes with a start. Her life flashed before her eyes. She closed her mouth immediately but that only accentuated the pressure of their lips together. What was she doing?

She put her hands on both sides of his face. What had happened to him? Why could not she forget? She sighed again, her mouth open. She accentuated the pressure of his lips on hers. Kurosaki -kun, help! She grabbed his hair and his neck roughly. She grabbed on his clothes.

A monster? She had become a monster. She was a monster. Of Greed. Of Selfishness. Her hands clenched around the face of the Espada. He was solid under her fingers. He was there. Kurosaki-kun, I'm ... I'm falling.

If only he could break her in ways that allow her to always produce similar sounds so that it always pours the same volume of tears ... If it could break her without damaging her ... To break her durably without traumatizing her soul so that she remains useful to his cause. Ulquiorra licked her offered lips again. What cause? Asked the Beast. **Break her right away. Kill her. Tear her apart. Hunger**. **Let us feed for once.**

Orihime had lost her mind! She was alive and he was not. She was ... She ... had gone crazy. It could not be otherwise. She loved Kurosaki Ichigo. She was in love with him. He was the one she had to trust. He would find her again. He always found her. Save her. Ulquiorra ... was the one who tormented her. He was the one who was using her. He was the one who abandoned her. When she needed him… he was gone! She must not believe in him. She must not believe that there was life in him.

Why was she struggling now to keep the Espada against her? Why did she suddenly allow her tongue to explore the mouth of an Espada? Why was she closing her eyes as if it was the most natural thing for her to offer herself to the enemy? Why did his arms seem so familiar? How could she be so weak? What did he feel? When they got separated? Did he feel it in his heart just like her? Did he feel their separation? Did he have any regrets? If Hollows could feed of regrets. Could he feed on hers?

Nothing made sense. What made sense once did not make sense today! Nothing made sense anymore!

* * *

**Ulquiorra Schiffer**

4th Espada of the Arrancar Army of Aizen

Enemy of Kurosaki Ichigo

For him who had been born in the middle of a desert, finding an oasis was rare.

* * *

Part of him was missing permanently.

He was perfectly comfortable with it.

Nothingness. The primitive beast was constantly hungry. A bloodbath, a virgin soul, enough to fill the void, enough to feel complete, he happened not to know what to offer him.

Orihime kissed him. He recorded the information somewhere far in the back of his mind.

"Ulquiorra" She whispered against his lips.

Still, he let her go for a few seconds. He did not know what she was trying to do exactly by imposing her will on him… and that archaic human custom. He reasoned that he could give her a few seconds of recreation. The purpose of the whole operation was to calm her so she could accept her detention more easily. It had already worked once. He closed his eyes. The memories of several lives rolled by in front of him. In a phosphorescent clash of reiatsu, Ichigo Kurosaki engaged in his first duel to the death against him. It was enough for him to confess being the instigator of the abduction of Orihime to provoke the wrath of the young redhead. This moment totally devoid of feelings on his side. The surprise on Kurosaki's face ... The despair that seeped through his skin like an infected wound.

"Rukia?"

The redhaired froze.

"You noticed? And to think I thought you were a child with only raw power! It seems that your perception ability is correct."

"You?!"

"It's been a long time, Shinigami."

He started down the stairs toward the substitute shinigami.

" You are ... You are ... Ulquiorra."

" You remember my name. I do not even remember giving it to you."

Interesting.

"Never mind, Rukia Kuchiki is dead."

The heart that Orihime Inoue cherished so much took a leap. For a few seconds, Ulquiorra reveled in his quick and abrupt beat. He came to the conclusion that he moderately appreciated this dissonance. Despair and resignation in Kurosaki's eyes ... Febrile ... Unstable ... Human ... Mortal… Invisible… Untangible… Heart. He enjoyed seeing all this play in the eyes of his enemy. He continued to explain to the incredulous shinigami the principle of cognitive synchronization while walking towards him. The shinigami went in the other direction. Curious. Fear had not scared him away. No ... It was something else?

 _"_ Where are you going ?"

"Save Rukia."

"I think I told you she was dead."

Ichigo continued on his way.

"How Stubborn are you?! Is it really reasonable to leave me alive?"

" I have no reason to fight you."

"What do you mean?"

"You're the enemy okay! But you have not done anything to hurt my friends or ..."

Of course, Ulquiorra had considered the possibility that the substitute shinigami would make such a naive answer. He acted accordingly.

" I see. If I told you that I was the one who brought Orihime to Hueco Mundo?"

Finishing that sentence had been unnecessary. A piece of "if" remained suspended in the air while Ichigo charged headfirst towards him. If I told you that I had made her mine. If I told you that Orihime Inoue was and would remain entirely under my control until the day she died? Did he want to add then? Kurosaki's zanpakutō hit his Hierro-clad forearm hard. The beast was in a teasing mood. It was new. He thought, parrying the shinigami's first attack. Undisciplined. What was the point? It served no purpose. Ichigo had already pledged to fight him. Why was he suddenly demanding? What would he gain by making such an admission?

"Sou ka." He murmured against Orihime's lips. She pressed her mouth against his, eyes closed, prisoner of the moment. Things were exactly as he had left them. The taste of her tears was exactly the same as in his memories. He closed his eyes again because the warm, soft tongue in her mouth deserved analysis. His vision became more precise. This memory was even more satisfying than the last.

He had been waiting for an hour for her to finish taking a bath. It was taking her forever. This woman must have wanted to test his patience. He heard echoes of sadness resonating against the walls. He pushed the double doors of the bathroom. Orihime was curled up in the big bathtub sobbing, her red hair, the only guardians of her virtue. The sounds she made stirred his organs in an uncomfortable way. He would have broken her neck to stop it but Aizen-Sama had made him her guardian for better and for worse. He grabbed her wrist and lifted it sharply up into the air. He watched her swing in front of him like a ragged doll.

" No ! Stop! You're hurting me!" She moaned while trying to cover her naked body. "Ulquiorra!"

He scanned her body for scrapes and scratches, any physical injuries that would explain why she had been moaning for more than an hour in her bath. Nothing. Everything was going on inside her. What a burden! How long did she expect him to wait? How long did she imagine that he would bear her whims? He brought her face closer to his.

" Are you finished, woman?"

Her hair dripped on the tip of his nose in an unpleasant way. Her little sweaty hands wrapped around his face boldly. Her arms circled him. He froze as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

" Will they really all die because of me?"

Her hot breath tickled his ear and he wondered for a moment if he'd heard her correctly.

"Rukia, Chad, Ishida, Renji, and Ichigo ..." she said.

The answer was so obvious. Her question had to be rhetorical.

"I'm becoming so empty and numb."

What did she mean? What did her words mean? Who would have the answer? Nnointra? It was inconceivable that he would lower himself to ask. Grimmjow? He was a beast without reasoning. Tōsen? Ichimaru? Lord Aizen?

"I'm afraid."

Once again, the shock made him inactive and Orihime pressed against him harder.

"I'm afraid I will soon be unable to feel anything anymore."

An indistinct grunt escaped him. He remained paralyzed.

" Of course you don't mind. You don't care. You do not understand ... You're so empty yourself." She cried.

There was not an ounce of hesitation in that child's voice. How dare she? He stared at her, his face frozen in an expression that did not reflect the intensity of the emotions deep inside him. He lifted her again so that their faces could be at the same height. What he was going to tell her was important. He did not want to have to repeat himself. He had to warn her that the liberties she was taking when talking to him were a dangerous position.

She silenced his thoughts by bringing their faces together. She pressed his lips against hers. He opened his eyes like a blind man wanting to see. A stream of incoherent and disorganized thoughts overcame him. His eyes remained wide open. The tears of the young woman moistened his mouth. He embraced the young woman by the waist.

It was a kiss.

"Ulquio-rra?"

He lifted her out of the bathtub. Her muscles were loosened under his fingers. She was only a mass of soft flesh under his fingers. She stopped fleeing their embrace. It was futile to retreat. He slammed her against the white sandstone wall. With a sigh, Orihime caught her breath. He did not need that kind of break so he licked her cheek. Could he pass on the opportunity to assert his position of dominance? No. Strategically, the human exposing herself like this provided him the best of opportunities. Ulquiorra tried to remember his readings on human anatomy. There was no need. With force, she forced herself on him, her tongue searching his mouth feverishly ... He did not know what exactly she needed from him. Her tears increased. She even sniffed against him. He resisted the urge to get away from her. She obviously didn't want them to part or was he imagining all this in his head. Ulquiorra groaned impatiently. With one finger, he pointed the camera in the corner of the room and blew it with just enough cero to drop to dust on the floor. To be quite honest, her tears had a rather pleasant taste. He let a burning finger get lost between the legs of his captive. In her defense, she tried to close her legs immediately. They danced awkwardly against the wall. But she did not resist for long, and she arched in his arms, her chest pressed against his, moaning. He accentuated the pressure of his finger that sank further and further. Her legs wrapped around him naturally. The lack of morality of his captive did not fail to surprise him.

"I feel ... It's ..." she murmured between sighs.

She pushed her head back abruptly and made an almost guttural sound.

What did she feel?

"Ul-quiorra ... Oh! No ! Stopped !"

The way she pronounced his name was pleasant too. A wet stream greeted his finger. He stopped and stepped away to put his finger to his lips. It did not have the same smell and texture as her tears. Disgusting! Trash! Nevertheless, he licked his index finger entirely. It tasted even better than he thought the second time it seemed.

She moaned against him.

Orihime and Ulquiorra had the same shocked expression at the same time. Her face was crimson. The young woman lowered her head.

" I'm sorry, I ..."

He pushed a finger, then another ... before bringing them back to his mouth again. He was not sorry. This liquor she made ... It was turning him into a beast. **Thirsty. Quick. Desert. Thirst.** Her hands slid under the buttocks of the young woman to hoist her against the wall. Orihime opened her eyes, animated by a sudden vertigo at being thus suspended above the espada. She let out a small groan when Ulquiorra's tongue found its way into her most secret garden. She did not have the strength to make any protest. Her body was no longer hers. She did not know how it started. How he had won? Who ? What? Or ? Dozens of questions jostled in her head. What would her friends think if they saw her like this? Her face seemed to catch fire at this thought alone. She was a traitor. What happened to her soul? What happened to her soul so that she felt nothing more for him than desire? What happened to her soul? She arched under the onslaught of his tongue. She was back to the wall literally. There was nowhere to go. She could not escape her own impulses.

Ulquiorra was sorely lacking in practice. It took a long time to understand that it was the play of his tongue on the pink button in the center of her feminity that was responsible for the moisture that sprang from her like a waterfall. Pleasant whispers escaped from her throat at regular intervals as if to guide him. Her thighs tried to close around him. Her fingers gripped his hair and his hollow helmet. If he had been human, her embrace would surely have suffocated him. She convulsed uncontrollably to the point that he was forced to keep her in balance with one hand holding her stomach.

" I feel ..." She went on and on.

He suddenly felt the urge to ask her how she felt really. He searched for the answer in his acquired knowledge. But nothing came to him.

" Oh !"

Was she going to tell him what she was feeling? She stammered incomprehensible words. He grunted impatiently. So primitive! He felt a certain shame. He was impatient to know what she was feeling. The cries of the human female intensified. He could not be hurting her. It was physiologically impossible. So he attributed her cries to his growing psychological grip on the young woman. She was at his mercy. Fully submitted. What would the shinigami think of that?

Suddenly, she arched with such force that she surprised him. As if he was drunk, he lost his balance and dropped one knee on the ground.

" Ulquior-ra!"

He groaned again, an almost animal guttural sound. She continued to convulse violently. Worse, he felt himself wavering too. They both crashed into the frosty floor of the bathroom. He had just enough time to leave the heavenly comfort that was her thighs to hug and cushion her fall ... Their fall. His mouth found that of the young woman of his own accord. A hand was still lost between her thighs while the bulk of the storm passed. Out of breath, Orihime rode her hand for a few seconds, her eyes closed. His tongue searched the mouth of the young woman in search of an antidote to the poison that was now running through his own veins. Orihime pushed the Espada first to find her breath. What had she done ... What had she done? How could she do that? She concealed her face in one hand in shame and began to cry softly. Ulquiorra tried to regain the use of his legs. He went back to the door.

"Ulquiorra?"

She cried. **Tear. Thirst. He was hungry. So. Fucking hungry. Like Trash.** He found the way out while straightening his clothes. He still had the taste of her tears and her pleasure on his lips. He wiped his face with disgust on the sleeve of his jacket.

" I'll be back in three hours for your dinner. Find a way to make yourself presentable, woman."

Back to the present, Ulquiorra blinked twice, stopping the recording in his brain. Their kiss intensified, although he swore he did not want to take part this time. He could not prevent the temperature of his Hierro from increasing as Orihime could not stop his lips from turning into a violent blood color ... His tears dried up. The beast grunted. It started to question the whole logic of his previous action and it was unacceptable to say the least.

Just as suddenly, Ulquiorra rested Orihime on the floor and walked away, hands in his pockets. He wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his jacket just like he did back there. When the predator tried to escape its prey. Orihime struggled to keep her balance, but her legs gave way under the weight of her contradictory emotions. Ashamed, she burst into tears. Ulquiorra stared at the strange creature. She was so ... Her tears seemed endless. He moistened his lips and frowned. That was what he had felt? Even so it was worse…

"Are you Ichigo Kurosaki's partner?"

For any answer, the face of the young woman turned even more crimson, imitating the color of the tulips. Are you Ichigo Kurosaki's partner? How could he ask her that? Orihime almost choked on her tears. She touched her lips with her fingertips. She had kissed him. And Ichigo ... Oh! What had she done?

" The answer is written on your face."

He materialized in front of her squatting to stare directly into her soul. He was suddenly annoyed that she could choose such a frail human as a partner. Kurosaki was a complicated being with a complicated history. He remembered him smelling like a shinigami one minute and turning into a hollow the next, defying logic. He remembered him looking coming to save Onna with his mind on another fight.

" Too bad. You will never see him again."

Her strength, she felt it pulsing in her fingers again when she slapped him. The slap did not shake the Espada. He seemed surprised nevertheless at the strength she had put in her palm.

" You had enough fun woman. Let's bring you back."

"Bring me back? After we just-?

"After what ?"

She lowered her head even more confused. Still, the answer was obvious, was not it? Did not he show himself sufficiently lenient? At last, she had the only sensible reaction of the day and pained considerably with anxiety.

"It's good." He congratulated. "That's it. You should be terrified in all likelihood, woman. Terrified but not broken. "

He turned his back on her, one hand in his pocket and prepared to open a Garganta to move faster.

"Orihime."

For a second, he had no idea what the woman expected from him with these words.

"I am Orihime. Call me Orihime."

"I know exactly who you are ..."

" My name is Orihime!" She yelled.

His expressionless green eyes stared at her longer than necessary.

"Orihime, you're still a prisoner. I told you that from our first meeting. I'm here to make sure you stay useful to Aizen-Sama."

Orihime began to run. He gave her a few minutes before using Sonido to cut off her retreat. She concentrated.

"Santen Kisshun."

Her hairpins did not have the slightest reaction.

"Koten Sanshun. Tsubaki ..."

No reaction.

" It's useless. You cannot use your power against me. You cannot hurt me. You don't have it in you to hurt me anymore."

"And me? What am I to you? You are hurting me all the time, Ulquiorra. I've done nothing to you. "

She struggled in his arms like a fury and slapped him again. There was not even enough strength in her attack to mark his skin. Hands in his pockets, he watched her, his face still frozen in the same passive expression.

" You're just a woman. A human. To me… You are nothing but a tool…"

"I never understood how much you could lie, Ulquiorra. You could even lie to yourself. Till the end. That's why I couldn't save you."

He paused for a couple of minutes.

"You wouldn't believe I would want to save you. You wouldn't believe that you mattered to me."

It was all there again the shadow of his conflicted emotions. She saw in his eyes the minute when he pushed away any feelings again and pulled on her wrist.

"Don't let them do it! Don't let them do it! What would you gain from it? Do not let them do that! I don't know what you expect from me but I will not help you release Aizen from his seal!

Orihime expected him to deny his real intentions, but with his hands in his pockets, he was still staring at her with that falsely melancholy air. So that was it. That was her purpose. She was only useful in life to serve Aizen's purposes.

"It's impossible to achieve. It's a seal ... I could never break a seal of that magnitude. "

"You do not need to break it. You must "deny" its existence and we will help you harness the power you need to do that. Everything is ready."

Her anger boiled deep within before finally exploding uncontrolled.

"And you think I would do that? After all the effort it took to install that seal? After my friends almost died? After Kurosaki-Kun sacrificed his powers?"

This last information seemed to intrigue the Arrancar. But Orihime did not linger.

" I refuse."

"Your refusal will mean your death. Do you understand, Onna? Do you understand Orihime?

She unsheathed the katana of Ulquiorra and directed it against her heart immediately. The Arrancar did not move and let her do as she pleased. It was clear that she was bluffing. He could not help but notice that if the Katana dug flesh, he would leave a hole similar to his. His Hueco Centro. The heart.

"You do not want to die."

" It's not just a question of will! Death is not about willing… You should have known! It's about sacrifices… My brother sacrificed himself to raise me, protect me and save me and Ichigo did the same… " She retorted firmly. "So, If I have to die for him… Well, Ulquiorra if I have to die for you to never experience the pain again of being thrown into a war you did not choose, I don't mind. If something happens to anyone of you, I will die anyway. I won't survive being alone."

"A war I did not choose?"

"I understand now. You are a tool just like me and they wake you up to use you."

"I see you really wanna die today, onna." he said, grasping the guard of the katana and adding the weight of his hand on it. She was getting on his nerves really. Orihime's pajamas slowly became red with a stain.

When she did not utter a single complaint and when he realized he'd just lost his temper in front of her, he let go of the guard and stepped back. The smell of her was intoxicating and he was suddenly so hungry.

Orihime shook her head with determination. Her reiatsu formed an orange envelope around her and she was unaware the beast wanted to swallow her whole.

"If it's only death ... If that's all ...it takes… For you… For him… For everyone… I'm ready! I am happy and you won't get anything more from me! You may be resigned to live like this but I am not. I will not help Aizen destroy the world! I will not fear death. I will not become like you. I will not be hollow…"

He moved so fast that she did not realize he was in front of her again until it was too late. He took the katana in her hands. He lifted her in the air by the neck slowly. Orihime forced herself not to cry. She closed her eyes. Less than a second later, she felt the floor under her feet again because he had put her back down just as quickly. He pushed her hand away. In his green eyes, there was no more emotion than the day before.

"Your death would accomplish nothing. "

He grabbed the young woman by the arm with a steel grip. He had shown enough patience.

"Why do you do that? You don't even believe in it. In his cause! You don't believe in Aizen and he never believed in you! I did! I believed in you! I believed you could be so much more. I believed the world I know exist out there could fill you with so much wonder. Aizen never mourned you. I did. He never prayed for you to find peace. I did. Every night, just like for my brother, I pray for you! You know it's true. You remember this because you heard me! You don't believe in him, Ulquiorra. You said so yourself you believed only in what you see…in what your senses can tell you…"

She pulled his hand toward her heart.

"What you can touch… What you can feel…"

She brushed his lips with her salty fingers. Ulquiorra closed his eyes, trying to rein in his temper. His senses were on overload.

"If you can't remember that then maybe you are truly dead this time around. But I will not help Aizen…Please! Don't make me do this!"

Tilting his head to the side, the primitive beast was listening, fighting the urge to lick its lips. **Break the heart. Kill her. Drink from her. Eat her. Savor her soul.** He finally grabbed Orihime's hand again forcefully, dragged her when she wouldn't comply, and without a word disappeared with her into a Garganta.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = Time is my friend  
> \----------------------------  
> Hierro is a defensive Arrancar technique. The user's Reiryoku condenses, creating a steel-hard skin strong enough to block a Zanpakutō. This allows users to confront some of the sword-wielding Shinigami barehanded. While this technique is exhibited by all Arrancar to some degree, the strength of an individual's Hierro is entirely proportional to the potency of their Reiryoku. Since Arrancar are naturally hostile creatures, they always use it whether they're in a fight or not. It gives off an unnatural feel to the touch.


	20. Time is my friend

* * *

**Enzo Weavorpine**

Primeros # 2

The Enemy

Vengeance is a dish best eaten cold and preferably in good company.

* * *

**Trouble is a friend - Lenka**

Enzo Weavorpine sat in the stairway for a couple of hours staring at the clock. Picking up an old abandoned copy of a Seireitei News half-burned in the corner, he flipped the pages absentmindedly. He patted his temple in rhythm with the clock and finished a very fascinating article on the three new captains. They didn't look much like threats and he wasn't impressed. Contrary to what his angular and impulsive appearance could suggest— mind you, he was aware it did a lot of speaking for him— Enzo was someone, provided he could be placed in the "person" category, he was someone who exhibited at all time a great amount of patience and restraint. He understood no one could have guessed since his crooner physique, his black and globular eyes as well as his yellow fangs, invited to flight rather than to chat. He appreciated a certain art of living. When you were a "Primeros" you had two choices. Adapt or die. Adaptation took time which also required patience. Time and Enzo had a common cause. For the longest time, he'd waited in the shadows. A few hours, he thought then would not change the outcome of this conflict.

Patience had been a lesson learned the hard way. Things have not always been this way. He had experienced losing control a couple of times already. There were decisive moments when his impulsiveness resulted in monumental upheavals in his life. If he closed his eyes, he could almost see the artistic spray of hemoglobin staining the leaves and the trunks of a cherry tree as if it happened just yesterday.

"I warned you that he will not come back," Barruk said.

His fingers worked on his temple in frustration, but it was more because Barruk had interrupted his contemplation than because Ulquiorra and the busty redhead were missing. Impatience had persisted in marking the soul of his brother Barruk all these years to the point that he could hardly endure their condition without whining about it all the time. Youth, some might call it. Barruk was younger than him. Six hours younger. He took longer to die in the hand of their executioner, that's why. A giant cumbersome ball of regrets he was that one! It also meant that it took their master longer to revive him with the Hōgyoku. For years, they lived in a cage, far from Aizen's other pet projects. Defective they were called. They did not have a name. They had no form. Crushed soul, spilling their dark essence and floating in a miasma of memories and reiatsu for days. The Primeros. Until Aizen used the Hōgyoku again on them. Barruk remembered their first steel cage. Their first intake of semi-confined air. Enzo suspected his brother still thought they lived in that first steel cage.

"I never liked him."

Well, it's not like Barruk was a very social person. He didn't like anybody. They were very similar on that part, except Enzo could fake people's skills like a snake charmer.

"I knew there were some things wrong with him. Rigor always brings them back wrong."

The beast uttered a plaintive moan as he heard his name. Enzo tilted his head, his yellow smile immortalized on his white face.

" Ah! You know me, my heart is so big. I am always ready to believe the first comer. Mother often said she did not know a more naive boy in the whole country."

"Enzo, you do not have a mother. None of us do."

" Exactly, you see I'm willing to believe you right now."

"Enzo, can I kill him?"

"You have a list, Barruk. Stick to the list. We have a job to do here."

"But I remember all those stupid arrogant Espada… They were always parading in front of us…"

"Yes, but don't you have a list? Tell me again why you have one?"

"I have a list. I need that list not to get carried away in missions. Getting carried away is bad."

"Very good."

You have a list too."

"Yeah."

"There are only two people on your list."

"Yup, we don't like to get scattered…"

The Arrancar rose slowly.

"So you won't do anything about the Espada and the girl…"

Enzo paused with a bright smile like he was about to sell Barruk some real estate.

"It's not exactly what I said…"

"But…"

"I mean, my list is shorter than yours. It can sustain a few last-minute additions. You know I have an amiable disposition. You tend to take everything rather personally. You and Rigor always go overboard. That makes for a long list of enemies. I am more tender-hearted. I just want us all to get along and for all lives to go extinct on all planes of existence. But I'm not really picky like you guys about the details."

"You're not?"

"No, the thing is little brother, I don't need to add him to the list, that Espada is dead rotten meat already and he has been since he was revived. We both know Rigor always siphoned more spiritual matter and energy than he needs to revive people and destroy half of what they are in the process. Meaning that poor hot stud will learn his number means nothing today. He is the broken experiment this time."

"Serves them right!" Barruk growled, spitting on the floor. "I hate him! I hate them! Espada and Shinigami ... I hate them all. We must destroy them all."

Enzo nodded with a mischievous wink.

"Of course, we will. Don't I always keep my promises, little brother?"

"Yeah. You said we will be free one day."

"And…"

"We are free."

Slowly, his other acolytes came out of the shadows. Moon, the first came to kneel before him. Her abundant pink mane concealed an asymmetrical face where the left side was burned and covered with thin wrinkles, the other part was like the perfect alabaster statue, frozen forever for eternity.

Moon Darthcross, Experiment # 85.

Vultur bowed all the way. His long black hair fell over his face to the floor. They may have hidden his eyes, but his long, pointed, bony nose seemed to literally want to come off his face as if to dissociate itself from it as if it was armed with a will of its own and a desire for emancipation.

Vultur Longshadow, Experiment # 51.

Amarik pushed his blue curly hair away from his cherub face. His azure hair fell back into his eyes without pupils. A crown of Hollow bones on the top of his skull was the only sketch of his mask.

Amarik Sovereignsowers, Experiment # 179

Archer descended the stairs slowly and settled on the last steps. A metal armor covered part of his torso and his right arm, the metal detonated violently with the white of his Hierro.

Archer Scaryscrow, Experiment # 48

Dusk, the barbarian, waddled around clumsily with his paunchy belly lazily like an old Chinese emperor impatient to sit down at the feast table.

Dusk Cain, Experiment # 97

A ray of sunshine lit up the blond hair of Menoly Mallia and the predatory smile of Loly Airvirrne shone in the darkness. Loly put a knee in reverence. Aizen-Sama's friends were automatically her friends. Moreover, any Arrancar who had the ambition of dismembering this red-headed bitch of Orihime could only be her fucking BFF. Menoly for her part was still hesitating this was the right path for them. She was born the hesitant one…

Menoly Mallia and Loly Airvirrne

Arrancar # 33 and #34

Enzo turned his head towards the two fraccions. Menoly lowered her head fearfully, remembering dreadfully the first time she crossed path with the Primeros.

**2WEI - War Lord (Escape Velocity)**

_"_ _You would like to take Aizen-Sama's place, what arrogance! The shinigami keep on making incursions in Las Noches. Many Arrancars hide from fear. It would be presumptuous to believe that we are in a position to face the shinigami again."_

_Enzo didn't say anything and settled very symbolically at the end of the Espada table and Barruck settled on his right._

_"Enzo, we found these four browsing the hallway," Archer remarked as he entered the room with another well-known couple of Espada._

_Menoly turned her head, her eyes blinking in horror and utter panic. Lolly growled, showing her fangs._

_« Grimm ... Grimmjow JeaggerJack »_

_« Espada_ _Sexta." Enzo finished passively, supporting his face with one hand._

_"Let me go, bastards! You touch me and I send you all to join your creator! I said I was going to follow you out of curiosity! Not much to do these days in here." He groaned. Getting angry for Grimmjow meant reopening his old stomach wound again and it hurt like a bitch._

_Archer held by the foot upside down a tiny specimen of Arrancar in a green dress. Dusk dragged the lifeless bodies of Pesche and Dondechakka behind him._

_"Grimshowwwww! Grimshoww!"_

_"Shut up, girl! You fuckers, that's mine!" Grimmjow roared, snatching Nel from the hands of her captors. The girl clung to his neck immediately. He grunted again to detach himself. When he put her down on the floor, she hid behind his leg. Grimmjow was just tempted to push her away with a good kick in the back. But Nel and her slimy saliva had been the only things that had kept him alive after Nnointra backstabbed him mercilessly. If that fucker wasn't already dead, he'd have killed him all over again._

_Getting angry again, he hit the table violently. Nel, still clinging to his ankle, shuddered. He was still wondering how the old number three could hide inside this little idiot._

_"Just to know if I understood everything, you silly idiots. Aizen is not dead?"_

_Barruk nodded._

_"And you want to rescue his firm butt in Soul Society?"_

_Barruk nodded almost naively. Grimmjow tilted his head and burst out laughing._

_"That is what I thought! You clowns!"_

_Vultur passed behind him and Grimmjow jumped to avoid his fist. He moved so fast that Nel was thrown into the air._

_" Grimssshowwwww! Waahhhhhhhhhhhh!"_

_He caught the girl by her dress. The effort had reopened an old wound on his side. He felt his Hierro stretched painfully._

_"You bastard! You think I won it in a fucking lottery my number?!"_

_"What number ?" Answered Vultur disdainfully._

_" Teme, you want my fist on your ugly raven face!"_

_Enzo raised his hand and the silence fell into the room immediately._

_"If I understand correctly Grimmjow, you're not interested?"_

_Grimmjow shrugged._

_" I don't give a fuck about Aizen!"_

_" How dare you, asshole?" Lolly exclaimed. "He is our savior!"_

_Grimmjow turned his head to Aizen's two fraccions in surprise. By what miracles these two idiots made it out of the war alive? Enzo kept going undisturbed._

_"All right, you are dismissed. In any case, I have no use for wounded broken warriors in my army. I don't have affinities with weaklings either."_

_"What did you just say?"_

_"Go in peace."_

_"You…."_

_But Grimmjow couldn't finish his retort, as this was the moment Cuatro chose to make his grand entrance followed by Rigor Mortis. That motherfucking mammoth was huge._

_" Oh, Cuatro… Thank you for joining us."_

_Enzo said putting his feet on the table._

_Ulquiorra paused on the threshold. He turned his head to Lolly and Menoly. They lowered their heads right away._

_"Ulquiorra… Schiffer… Damn, you were supposed to be dead!" Stammered Grimmjow._

_Ulquiorra passed him without looking and stopped in front of Enzo._

_"I took the time to think. If you do as I told you, you will get everything you want and your revenge will be complete too."_

_"According to the wishes of Aizen-Sama .."._

_"That's it," Ulquiorra said._

_Grimmjow materialized behind Ulquiorra using Sonido._

_"Bastard, don't you dare ignore me!"_

_With a kick, he sent Ulquiorra crashing out of the room, the wall fractured deep. If Ulquiorra got up without showing any signs of damage, dusting his clothes with a soft hand, Grimmjow fumed then frowned. Did he just land a strike on Ulquiorra Schiffer without dropping a sweat? What in hell? A peak of reiatsu in the air was enough for him to understand. He turned to Enzo._

_" Damn it, what did you guys do to him?"_

_Enzo continued to smile and it chilled whatever blood was in Grimmjow's veins. He turned to Ulquiorra who exchanged a hollow look with him. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity before Enzo interrupted._

_"I see… you start to understand our intentions are less than pure, Sexta. Things have changed. You understand we aimed to raise a little havoc. Not much… But Hell will pretty much look like a fun park when we finished decorating this place to our liking. We, Primeros, we are harbingers of chaos and destruction. That is our purpose. That is why he created us. Aizen. And the pertinent question, my friend is, do you want to join us, a merry band of misfits or do you want to hide cowardly under a rock waiting for a merciful death?"_

_Enzo rose slowly from his chair and stared at Nelliel with a grin. Nel hugged Grimmjow's legs as if her life depended on it._

In the dark room, back in the present, Grimmjow pushed Menoly out of his way with a kick. He did not lower himself to kneel to prove his allegiance. He would not kneel in front of anyone. Nel remained hidden in the shadow behind him. He could hear the girl's teeth clattering. She was literally pissing him off with the noises she makes and he had tried to get rid of her earlier. But she clung to him like a piece of old chewing gum. Nel kept on squealing in his head. As a result, he had a crappy migraine!

Enzo stood in the middle of the group. It was just the beginning.

Beep. Barruk took out a small device from his pocket, similar in appearance and function to a Denreishinki. Enzo did not let go of his chilling smile while lowering his black orbs towards the screen. Number 4 had just opened a Garganta.

"Alright, it's time. Where is the shinigami?"

Geren Koshinko emerged from the shadows and dropped on one knee.

"Just like I promised, it's time to raise a little hell."

" Bring me back the heart of Gin Ichimaru."

" The heart? You want me to kill him ..."

" Of course not, I want you to bring this back to me. Just found this pretty picture from this old edition of the Sereitei News!"

Geren's eyes widened as he discovered his new target.

" Rigor, be nice, accompany Geren with Lol and Lolita here. We will meet again at the rendezvous point ..."

Grimmjow fumed. He was just there to fight. What's up with these endless war councils?

"Don't be impatient, Grimmjow, there will be plenty of Shinigami bones to break. You will come with us ... While they're having fun, we are going to do the real work."

"Yes, the heart of Ichimaru Gin must wait for our return."

Barruk insisted, staring at the shinigami intently.

" It's time to get down to business. Let's go save Aizen!"

* * *

**Aizen Sousuke**

Former captain of the fifth squad in Gotei 13

Enemy of the Soul Society

Residing on the eighth level of the Royal Prison "Muken"

Secretly allergic to the voice of whiny brats

Hates children

Voted five times in a row most likely to succeed in the Shino Academy Gazette

Honestly feels like he was born to be king

Compared to what he originally intended to do to Paradise freed from his chains, Muken was the Champs Elysees and a walk in the park or so he thought…

* * *

It had taken weeks to move the sarcophagus to its final destination according to the Spirit King's will. It helped that time wasn't a rigid concept where she came from. It was fluid and non-linear. Surrounded by the Zombie Infantry, the strange convoy made slowly their way across the changing landscapes. ReiYon never went anywhere without her loyal troops, brown-haired, slanted-eyed servants, with ivory skin, dressed in old-style golden samurai garbs. They moved swiftly like a beehive, created with a common and unique mindset, for only one purpose. Protect the King. Protect the Royal family.

She created them for this purpose only.

The convoy stopped abruptly at the edge of a cliff. She stared at the landscape, inhaling the sharp scent of the sea below. Withstanding the test of time, the Japanese Royal Castle stood behind her, with walls blindingly white and cherry blossoms gardens surrounding it, comfortably seated atop a tall stone foundation with stairways so dizzyingly high it looked as if it would take days and weeks to reach the gates. Reiyon closed her eyes. The scenery changed suddenly and the vast sky opened to show the stars than neutrons and atoms…. To go back to be blue again than dark. They landed in an explosion of colors and sounds, with specks of dust and smoke everywhere, with the earth shaking and a volcano exploding in the distance. That's what she called traveling in style. They marched through the dunes and made it to an oasis of sorts: The rendezvous point.

Hearing footsteps approaching, her soldiers shielded her completely, katana and spears pointed at the possible threat.

The smoke cleared slowly to show Vice-captain Sasakibe, accompanied by a couple of member of the Onmitsukido, and the current captain of the kido corps, all the members of the special units wearing heavy masks.

"Kirio Hikifune, is that you?"

She squinted harder, her sight was no longer what it used to be.

"Who the hell are you guys ?"

"Do you not recognized an old friend?"

"Chōjirō? Chōjirō Sasakibe? You look so… old!"

"Well, that tends to happen as years passed by. It's been a couple of centuries, isn't it? But you, on the other hand, you look… Ravishing, my dear, if I may."

She relaxed with a boisterous laugh, shaking her entire plump body. She was a purple-haired lady with styled swirl-shaped markings on her cheeks and black lips. The army retreated behind her. She opened her arms and without ceremony hugged the first division lieutenant so hard his feet didn't touch the ground.

"You still look edible as well, my dear friend."

"You flatter me… How do you like the mustache?"

"Very fancy. Very you."

"Thank you, my dear. Huh, what should I address you now?"

"ReiYon, Fourth member of the Zero Division, Mistress of Keys. I am basically the head of security around here."

"It was very hard finding your locations."

"It is supposed to be."

"I know. I am actually quite aware of how grateful and honored I should feel."

"You're the same. But I'm sorry you won't remember traveling this far. Also the will of my Master."

Sasakibe shrugged boyishly.

"Ah! It was an interesting journey at least. We brought you a humble offering."

"I have heard. 20 000 years, is it? That's a lot of work if you ask me? Good thing, I'm not the warden. But our king can't wait to have him in custody and things happened as he designed them."

She said while the captain of the Kido Corps transferred the package in the opened sarcophagus.

"This is the infamous Aizen Sousuke. The man who wanted to be king."

"The man who wanted to steal the Ōken. I heard. "

She showed him her left forearm tattooed with a strange symbol.

"He wanted to steal that."

"He even went so far as trying his hand at creating one. He is a very dangerous man. We urged your organization to never let your guard down around him."

She nodded, staring at the levitating sarcophagus.

"Chōjirō… Farewell, my friend."

"Do you miss it? The Gotei 13? Simpler times?"

"Everyday. Every minute. But at the same times, it's like a long-forgotten dream. I don't even remember how it all started. I don't remember being a child and playing with you. I don't remember Kirio much."

"But we will forever remember you. Take care, Kirio."

She smiled gratefully at his words. Sasakibe was always such a gentleman.

"You, take care."

As soon as she said the words, she gently stroke her tattooed forearm and the land started shaking again. The sky tore apart... The vast canvas of stars gave way to the intricate minutia of protons and atoms dancing together… Sasakibe and his troop faded away and Kirio landed with her convoy on an island only lighted by the most awkward full moon. The smoke and dust cleared again. A door suddenly slammed open in the landscape, and their host appeared on a threshold, wearing a traditional kimono with pink and blue animal shape printed all over, and the most impressive pink sash. A giant three-headed teddy bear who's seen better years was tied to her back with a square of white haori. Her silver hair seemed animated by an invisible wind. She pressed her palms together

"You are late." She said sternly with the most childish voice.

"How can you have such a draconian concept of time?! You've been cooped up here for so long and there's no clock, no sun anywhere, just this perpetual moonlight. How do you even measure time?"

"I am gifted that way. I have been waiting for you for a decade now."

"Stop jesting. It's only been one minute."

"Should I explain how it all works here? Because it will take more time that we don't have!"

"It's still was just one minute, Rei Hachi. A plain ordinary minute. I went there and fetched your prize. I am back. Tada! Please smile a little!"

"I get bored easily. You know that. A minute, a decade or a millennium is the same to me... Boredom is truly dangerous for wonderfully gifted people like me. You should know."

She said, turning on her heels. Reiyon realized it was all the invitation she will ever get from her tiny colleague and followed her inside with the levitating sarcophagus.

"Still, say it was just one minute. It lasted a minute. I was quick like lightning. It lasted several weeks in the Seireitei. But just a minute here."

"It was the most boring minute! Dubbed in the grand book of life as 'the most boring minute ever'. That's to say a lot because some of us were there for the Great Big Bang! Shame on you! To make me suffer like that! You're a true criminal that should rot in one of my jail cells for at least a decade! See, if at the end; it feels like one minute! "

"You're such a bully like your father."

"Thank you. I know you said it to be mean but it means a lot to me."

She said her eyes, tearing up happily. A strange creepy smile spread on her lips.

"No seriously, you are a very creepy little girl. You know that, Warden?"

"Well, I am the Mistress of dreams. In the great scale of things, my time should not be wasted on petty things. Things mortal souls, disposable souls should care and worried about."

"You're dissing me, right?"

The little girl shrugged innocently.

"I don't know what makes you say that. I am simply saying that not even my father is bold enough to make me wait. I am not even speaking of Granpa! Nobody makes me wait! No one dares to because like you pointed out earlier: I am the Warden. Mistress of dreams. Period!"

Kirio pulled her hands up in the air quickly to stop her.

"Let's not speak about Granpa? Let's never speak about Granpa again. I mean his Majesty. Especially so casually… He might hear us and feel like we deserved to be nailed to a cross or worse. We don't deserve it. We're nice people. Mortal souls or not. We're obedient people. We're were on time people."

"Don't care. I hate this place. I hate my life. I hate him. Sometimes I hate you too. This world sucks and there's no room for creativity. Like it's all bland and predictable... Predictable means it's boring. We shall all perish in flames is what I think most of the time."

Kirio teleported herself to cover the girl's mouth.

"Such a jolly happy kid! But Shhhh…. Don't say anything! I know you're young and in that phase but don't. We can't afford to displease him. Can you promise to stop profaning the name of my boss? Your boss?"

" He is not the boss of me! I don't care really! Oh! I love your new earrings, Kirio. They are very cute. They almost make me forget about the ugly disgusting wrinkles around your mouth? It's very cute like I said. But why are you so edgy? You sound a bit depressed? Are you okay?"

"You were the one asking for a quick painful death for all."

"But that is not news... I have been an advocate for apocalypses for centuries now. I am with uncle on that one."

"Again, Kakira, you are all dark and brooding like the Moon Goddess herself and you're asking me what's my problem?"

"Stop flattering me. Telling me how much I l look like my parents will not get you any special favors from me. I don't look that much like her. You think I really look like her?"

She spun around checking herself in a mirror against the wall.

" I received word that my request for an audience with his Majesty had been granted."

"Oh! Oh! That's fantastic news, right? And are you not excited? Are you not ready to meet him at last? Your maker? Don't get me wrong? I'm not saying meeting him like it was the last thing you'd do... More like meeting him in an enjoyable and comfy setting eating scones to discuss... The great… The mighty… Spirit King… and see for yourself how useless he is."

"Do not listen to her! Your Glorious and clairvoyant Majesty! She does not know what she is talking about." Kirio growled to no one in particular.

"You really think he listened to all our conversations, do you?"

Kakira burst into laughter at the incongruity of it all. Kirio was such a countryside girl.

"I know he does."

"Who has time for that? Be rational. "

"Do you know what Omniscient mean?"

"According to you, it means having no friends, no hobbies and a lot of time to waste? Why be a God then if it's less fun a job than be a zookeeper ?"

"I can't believe you !"

"I'm sorry. I know you have your beliefs and I should respect them like some people downstairs respect Toushi-kamisama, the god of the new year, not knowing he was just a low-class demon before... and do all sorts of shenanigans to please him, not knowing he sometimes gets so hard on cash that he scrubs toilet for a living. When I say scrubs... I mean he eats you know what."

"Kakira!"

"He is my dad's best friend. I should know. Don't you think you could, I don't know sometimes, given the circumstances, hum, grow up a little? I mean grandpa is just an offensive foul-mouthed lunatic old man and your sole job is to make sure he stays safe in that garbage cursed place he calls home so that the balance of the universe can be preserved till the end of time. How hard can that be!"

"Thanks for the job description. You are killing me. You make me so nervous. This makes me so nervous. How come you're not nervous?"

"Why would I be? Why would you be? He is not much of a conversationalist and doesn't have much people skills, I give you that. He's just trash like I said except we have no one else to do the job. But the good news is he gets so bored most of the time that he welcomes any company, even the company of the toilet guy mentioned earlier. These are pretty desperate time. Kirio, Onee-chan, you're gonna be fine."

" Honestly, I don't know. I thought I would be more excited. True. Been waiting for this since I've been transferred here… But well, I just don't know what it is with me these days. I think I'm just…"

Kakira and Kirio stared as the sarcophagus as it levitated along the hallway.

"Scared shitless for your life."

Kirio nodded reluctantly.

"Well, it's true. Not many people get to have their D-Day, Day of request. It's such a great honor. You should take it that way and think about what you are gonna wish for?"

"I don't know. I have not settled my mind yet. A baby? My own dimension? A new man? I saw Sasakibe."

"Your ex-boyfriend?"

"We were never... you know official."

"Unrequited crush."

"Why are you so cruel?"

"Touchy much?"

"He is old. He is probably married now. Maybe he has children. So many children. Did I tell you he asked me to marry him once?"

"Oh! you're having girl problems. I'm relieved although I don't care."

"No, I am not. I need a giant sex toy… that is also edible?"

" I am a kid, you know. "

"You are older than me. Older than some of the stars above our head. Stop pulling that kid card whenever you please!"

"Who's rudely talking about time passing by now? Who?"

" It's not the same for you, Kakira-chan. You were born so gifted. A perfect baby."

"Thank you. It's true. Yes, I was born a true bundle of apocalyptic joy, all warmed up by the birth of a Supernova. I glowed with beauty from within since then."

"Yeah, ego pulled apart, you barely opened your eyes to the world that you were already summoned to his chamber. I wonder if you know how blessed you are. What did you ever wish for? You were so young? Did you make a wish? A Holiday with your family? A new pet? A new kimono made with falling stars? A baby brother? Obviously, you didn't get one… I am just curious... "

" None of the above. It was very chill. I was just a toddler going through a phase. But we played Giant chess with a couple of villages and I beat him. He is so lame. I remember he liked that very much. So try to beat him but of course, it takes an exceptional being to do that... Someone inherently cunning and ruthless... And Wonderfully bright... Someone like me... In the end, I just casually ask for a couple of trivial little things like Peace on Earth and Food for all for a day and the end of the Black pest Pandemic during the Edo era. He was nice enough to end the plague but through discussions, I realized before it was too late that a world with peace would be too boring. No big deal. Like I said I was just going through a phase thinking like a child. "

"Why must you be so annoying?"

"Noblesse oblige. "

"So annoying."

"Now let me take care of our guest."

She typed on an invisible screen and Kanji letters appeared on the mirror behind her.

"What do we have here? ID 965 471. Totally your type! Aizen Sousuke. Born on May 29. Did you know him?"

Kirio shook her head.

"I know he was there at some point but I don't really remember him. He has a very forgettable face."

"I don't think so. He is tall and quite handsome. 186 cm. Weighs 74kg."

"But he wasn't always like this, trust me. He used to ask so many questions. I remember Shinji was always annoyed with him. "

"He likes spicy food and tofu. He also drinks coffee. He hates boiled eggs. How weird! Very devious and manipulative nature. Rendered immortal by his absorption of an Hogyouku... Spiritual Pressure... Wow... That's huge...That's impressive... He morphed... Blablabla... Likes to torture his underlings for fun. I can work with that. He is a good candidate. "

"So, housing the most dangerous individual in the universe in your prison doesn't worry you one bit."

"Second dangerous to be exact. While I think it's a really stupid idea to confine these two in such close vicinity of each other. Studying those specs, I know an old man is having the time of his life and well, it sounds like this is gonna be a lot of fun. I have a feeling this is the beginning of something big."

Kakira grinned.

"Ok. Don't get too excited! You're getting creepy when you're excited. Will see you soon I hope."

Reiyon said, leaving.

"I swear I can live through another century without seeing that wrinkled forehead, ReiYon. But I'm afraid I will be seeing you soon too. "

"You're lucky you're just a kid! I'd smacked you for this!"

" I am your best friend. I will always tell you the truth, Onee-chan. The biggest truth out there, believe me, is that Grandpa doesn't care. About anything. Anyone. Not even his own blood. If you wanted any more proofs, just know Aizen's cell is gonna be just a couple of meters away from you know who. I mean the one we do not speak of. Ever. That one scary guy in the universe! Shugo! We're so going to perish in flames soon! This kind of makes me happy! I love this life! Just love it! Oh! Oh! Don't forget to ask him about the apocalypse he's obviously preparing and tell me everything he said! He's gonna love it! Don't tell daddy though! You know how he likes to spoil the fun for everyone. "

Kakira waved goodbye happily. With one last reverence, Kirio disappeared behind the golden door of the heavenly elevator. Kakira inserted her bronze key into the security case of Seishinkaidan [1].

" **Request for access confirmed**." An automated female voice said.

**Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (Alt. Version)**

The neon lights flashed for a few minutes. The little girl swept her silver hair back from the side of a face with a sigh, revealing four piercings on her right ear, one pendant was a crescent moon and the last earring was the shape of a star.

" **Physiological scan in progress**. "

The mirrors that covered the cabin of the teleporter of spirits gave way to a control screen. Her reflection gave way to a hologram in three dimensions. For a brief second, like a shadow caught in the corner of one's eyes, a monster, stood in the place of the girl. Her fangs gleamed in the semi-obscurity. The lights went back to normal.

" **Physiological scan completed**. "

The neons turned red again. She glanced at her watch.

" **Recognition of Zanpakutō in progress ... Authorized Zanpakutō. Reiatsu scan in progress. Reiatsu identified. No abnormal emotion detected. Voice identification requested**. "

The little girl tilted her head to the side, not pulling her thumb out of her mouth.

" Mistress of Dreams. Rei Hachi is the title. Kakira is the name. Awesome is the state of mind."

" **Identity confirmed. Rei Hachi, welcome home.** "

"Is the prisoner secured as well?"

" **He has been transferred to his cell in level 8 Muken. We took him off sedation as per the procedure.** "

"Good job. Get me down to Muken. "

The doors slid open with a metallic grating noise on a vast industrial futuristic hallway. She dropped her teddy bear on a console in the entrance.

" **Level 8 Muken. Welcome, Warden!"**

"Seishinkaikoroku?" [2]

**" I am at your service, Rei Hachi. "**

"Lower temperature and gravity so it mirrored Soul Society. We don't want our guest to get homesick."

**"Very well, Rei Hachi."**

"This is not the day you start to call me Majesty?"

**"Rei Hachi, should I remind you that identity theft is punishable by fifty years of imprisonment in the Onmitsukidō level 1 prison, the Maggots Nest. Blasphemy is liable to a hundred years in Shimono [3]. Only the one and only mighty spirit King, Ruler of all kingdoms above and beyond, God of Creation, can be referred to as the only untainted one. "**

Although she had been doing the same joke every day for the past four hundred and fifty years, Kaikoroku always responded in the same way. She typed on an invisible screen.

" I will keep it in mind. Mark my word, one day, you shall call me princess."

" **Every royal title and position other than the King title has been abolished per Royal decree centuries ago."**

"You don't understand the concept of a joke, do you?"

**" It is not ingrained in my programming."**

"I cursed the person who programmed you every day. "

**"Was my answer not satisfying enough to your liking, Rei Hachi?"**

Kakira sighed.

" It's alright. You're like grandpa. Not much of a conversationalist. I'm used to it."

She said sitting behind her desk.

" **Very well, Hachi-Taicho. Transfer of the eight dimensions was completed according to the will of the Spirit King. Eighth level: Muken to report. Inmate population: 2. The transfer went without a hitch. We were able to integrate perfectly the kido seals he was shackled within our systems. Prisoner 2 is finally awake."**

"I told Reiyon that much but I can't actually believe it. Muken is now home of the two most dangerous people in Soul Society. For the record, I think it's the stupidest idea ever. I mean they both shared the same dream. They both wanted to overthrow the King. How curious!

" **It was decided per the King's Will.** "

"That man should have stayed in the custody of the Gotei 13. They showed they could handle him fine."

" **Reports showed that the mortality rates rose to 60% in the Gotei in the last semester. I'm not sure this could be construed as handling someone with ease. I read in the different data wave that I received that they had help. The External type.** "

"Really?"

" **Yes**."

"Tell me more."

An unusual pause.

" **I am truly sorry. I have just accessed the data cloud but the information is... gone.** "

Kakira frowned.

"What are you saying, Kaikoroku?"

" **I am not sure, myself.** "

"Just like having a sense of humor, doubting is not in your programming. So please clarify this to me."

**"I could read it before... Now, I cannot access this information. I cannot transmit what I previously registered in my memory stacks. It's gone."**

" Anything on Aizen then? Date of birth. Place of birth. Does he have someone he likes? Parents?"

**"None of this information are available at the moment."**

"You mean to say that you, the most advanced AI database in all the universe, don't have access to this information. I cannot build the ultimate customer experience without proper knowledge of my target. May I remind you I am Rei Hachi. Eighth member of the Zero Division. Mistress of Dreams. Warden of the Royal Prison. Access code: Shugo458716/41M. What are you hiding from me?"

**"Nothing to do with your level of accreditation, Rei Hachi. Data is unavailable. Please reset your research criteria."**

" Damn and I thought it would be a piece of cake. Aizen Sousuke is a rather mysterious man. Well, that is odd. But I'm not here to ask questions, am I? Connect us. Let me greet him..."

Aizen appeared on the screen unchanged since his judgment. Sitting on a chair, he maintained the regal air of a king. Blindfolded, his hands shackled to the arm post of his seat.

" Good morning, Sir?" Rei Hachi said. Did you sleep well?"

"I must say. I was surprised your kido tricks worked at all. I am impressed."

"I am glad. How do you find your new accommodations?"

" Incredibly pleasant for what I already experienced."

Aizen replied with a smile even though a drop of blood was beading around the corner of his mouth.

"It makes me happy. Inmate, just before your arrival this morning I received a handwritten note from the commander of the Gotei 13 asking me to keep a special eye on you. "

"Oh, that old man was always fond of me!"

"You would tell me about it."

"I don't want to bore you with the details."

"I have a lot of time on my hands."

"But I was just a man…"

"I know... Corrupted in nature."

"I would say misunderstood at best. And who might you be? It seemed like I'm talking to a child."

Aizen's lips stretched in a broad smile. He let out a sneer. She smirked with all her fangs out.

"Well, I realized that we will be staying together for a long time and I always take the time to greet the newcomers."

" You are one of them?"

"One of them?"

"Imposters…"

" I don't know what you mean."

"It took me a while to identify every one of them. But it was nothing impossible with my incredible intellect and power of deduction, it was a breeze. I know what happened when the bird fell out of the nest."

"It died, didn't it?"

"It died and Heaven burned…"

"I see. You know more than me then. You are truly remarkable, Sir. Can you tell me more? How did you find yourself in such perilous stature?"

"Impossible!"

"What is…"

"You are one of them… Are you not?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Stop doing this."

"Doing what exactly?"

"I know who you are."

"Do you?"

"I do."

"Who am I?"

"You are one of them."

"Am I?"

"You are? Are you not?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Stop it. Stop it now."

"What do you mean?"

"You know who you are! I know everything about how the Soul Society works. I know who makes the sunrise. I know who controls the weather."

" Oh! I'm impressed. I don't know that much. Probably never cared enough to ask. "

" That's what I'm telling you. I know who you are."

"Do you?"

The girl smiled at his aggravated features torn by confusion. He did not understand. Aizen thought they should all be terrified in front of him. He had reached a power that no one had equaled before him. Aizen Sousuke was so puffed up with pride. From the inside, he was going to succeed the impossible ascension to heaven. They all thought he had been defeated when all this was part of his original plan. Aizen Sousuke had planned everything. He simply refused to admit otherwise. The opposite would mean that a mere human, a hybrid bastard, and a failed scientist had got the better of him. Impossible! It was simply inconceivable! He had prepared for any eventuality. He was going to destroy Soul Society from the inside. He would start by removing all their smile. He would start by decimating this whole family. He would pick them up one by one.

" To think you can deceive… Me… I was ready to take over…"

"Ah, you are right, Sir ! What can I say I am in a playful mood."

" I…

"My friends call me Kakira but I allow you to call me Warden. I am the eight-member of the Zero Squad. I am Rei Hachi. Mistress of dreams. "

"You allow me? How dare you?"

"Yes, just like I allow you to breathe right now."

"What?"

"I will only be doing that once a week from now on, and if I get busy once a century. You're not my only client."

"What?"

"Oh! I forgot to tell you about the food clause. There will be no serving of food at least the first ten years. No demands will be taken into consideration at least for the first year. I mean… with the Hogyouku feeding you, you should be alright and not miss Yudon too much anyway. I'd like to be clear on that. "

"Are you joking? Someone like me?"

"See, we're gonna be fine!"

"You seriously think you can hold me here for long, you, an Imposter, a child?"

"There is always this general misconception. I am not technically holding you here. My king is. This place is moving according to his will. It's a piece of big machinery. I am the maintenance guy. No, I am just the cool 'Sitter with all the fun games. And believe me, I love to play…"

" Maybe you think that will slow down my progress? Rendering me unconscious? Do you think that this would be the end of me? I will destroy the one you serve and with him, you will fall. Soul Society will be in my hands and I will redraw the world with the blood of the King and his kins!"

The girl closed her eyes and manipulated her control screen. Aizen tilted his head back, convulsing on his chair. An almost transparent blue viscous liquid piled up at his feet. He interfered between the bars of his seat and along his legs. He screamed when this bluish glue reached his throat and began to spill into his mouth. He literally choked on it. His screams echoed in the room. For exactly seven minutes, Aizen tried in vain to push back the sticky formula. He tried vehemently not to be submerged but soon lost the battle and came into stasis. Typing a screen, Kakira quickly created a montage of their small chat. _**"You are one of them… Are you not? I don't know what you mean. Stop doing this. Doing what exactly? I know who you are. Do you? I do. Who am I? You are one of them. Am I? You are? Are you not? I don't know what you mean."**_ She added different contexts, some shadows and ominous lighting, programmed a hundred different interactive endings and edited it all in a loop. She snatched the video feed between her two fingers as if it was just silk. She unlocked Aizen's cell on her left and walked to the sarcophagus where Aizen was lying unconscious. Leaning over, perched on her tiptoe like a fairy, she blew softly the newly created dream on his face like a mist of scintillating dust and watched with fascination as his face contorted with confusion... and pain in reaction. There was nothing more painful for someone as analytic as Aizen Sousuke than being faced with his own contradiction.

Kakira gave a feral grin as her left eye turned black.

"Who said anything about being unconscious? That would take away half the fun. Sir, I want you to be able to feel and savor every moment we spent together. I want you to live the dream life literally. After that… Who knows? Maybe you got another shot at invading Soul Society, maybe the hōgyoku break, maybe your soul gave way first… Maybe my King changes his mind... They are still things you don't know about this part of the world. I am excited to be the one to show you. Nice dream, Sir! Welcome to the ultimate customer-based experience!"

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Seishinkaidan: "Spirit Stairs". Teleporter of spirits.
> 
> [2] Spirit Memoir Computer Engine: This is an artificial intelligence computer partially generated by spirit particle that gathers and collects information through the intelligence and central 46 = The different faces of a Suki-chan
> 
> In my story, the member of the Zero division all have a title that starts with the prefix- Rei followed by their rank. Reiichi- Reini -Reisan- Reiyon- Reiroku (etc.) To be noted apart from Reiichi who is clearly the leader there is no obvious hierarchy among them.  
> \---------------------  
> Next Chapter= The different faces of a Suki-chan


	21. The different faces of a Suki-chan

* * *

**Kuchiki Byakuya**

Captain of the sixth division

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Even his cat games with Yoruichi Shihouin had not prepared him for that day.

* * *

His awakening was physically and emotionally draining as always. In his sleep, he could always pretend that Hisana was close. In his dreams, his wife was a special guest and he held her hand constantly. In his dreams, he never lost sight of her. But reality and its nuances of color had a way of catching up with him quickly, it was as if he was reliving her loss every morning.

The bed in which he had spent the night had been prepared for two exactly like at the mansion. He did not know why he was being tortured. He just knew it had been this way for almost fifty years now. He had always been reticent to broach the subject with the housekeeper. He had never been able to express the desire he had of changing rooms there. He was always amazed that even on a mission he suffered the exact same fate. With military precision, Byakuya made his bed again before he contemplated his handy work for a few minutes. This new bed in this new room was like a never-ending nightmare. He bathed and changed quickly in his captain uniform. He was done tying the Kenseikan into his hair when he heard footsteps in the stairs.

"Captain?"

Shane slid the shoji doors open and put his head through the gap. Byakuya continued to fix the western canopy bed with a haunted look. Receiving no answer from the sixth squad captain, Shane entered the room cautiously.

"Do you need anything, captain?"

Byakuya was so lost in thought he didn't notice Shane.

_"You disobeyed me once again!"_

_Hisana jumped startled as he entered the office behind her. She sat back in the chair meekly like a student waiting to be punished by the principal._

_"Sorry, Byakuya-Sama but I simply had to go again."_

_"Why?"_

_" It's ... I felt like it. I didn't put much thought into it."_

_"You didn't put much thought in the fact you like to walk there or that you like to disobey? You must be precise."_

_Hisana fearfully gazed in his direction. Byakuya turned his back on her in order to rein in his temper. Contrary to what it may seem, he didn't ask out of spite. He was more worried than angry. Yet, he couldn't help having a short fuse when he felt like this was a conversation they had already. He genuinely wanted to understand since the answer she gave was not the one he was waiting for. It was not even an answer. It did not teach him anything. What could he do with so little information? Should he watch her every move? Why did he have to take into account her reasons when she did not take into account his own? He turned his head towards her. She slowly got up. Head down, she reached for him. At that time, she was the only person on earth he honestly tried to understand. He could not take a step without her._

_"Try a better lie next time. What's so important about Rukongai? I would like to understand. What is there in Rukongai that Hisana-San does not find at the Manor."_

_He touched her face with rough, clammy, clumsy fingers. Hisana shivered under his caress and shed a few tears. He removed his hand immediately and lowered his head to the ground._

_" I apologize to Byakuya-Sama. I will not do it again."_

_" If in addition to disobedience, we now add a new form of insincerity to the foundations of this union, I fear we are running to our doom."_

_Her face took on a violent bloody hue._

_" If Hisana-San is unhappy at the mansion ... We can find a solution. Is it… that she doesn't like it here? Or that I am not enough?"_

_Could it be that for the first time in his life, no matter how hard he tried, Kuchiki Byakuya would not get what he wants? To him, that was almost inconceivable a thought._

_Hisana shook her head quickly as an answer. He did not like to see her suffer especially knowing that he was the direct cause of her misfortune. She bit her lip and bowed to him._

_" I apologize to Byakuya-sama. It is something I need to do. Something I cannot explain. Like Kuchiki-sama cannot explain some of the shinigami business or the things that hurt him the most like the death of his parents. It doesn't take away the oath I made to you. I pray that you will understand. You are more than I could ever ask for."_

_She faltered and Byakuya had just enough time to put an arm around her waist to catch her. She was always so frail and so sickly. He constantly feared for her health. Born without much reiatsu, he knew how much she sacrificed just to keep standing by his side. Somehow, it helped pacify his anger and he sighed deeply._

_" No need to ask for forgiveness. I will simply request that you accept an escort when you go to the Rukon District. I don't want anything to happen to you. This neighborhood is dangerous. With an escort, I will feel more at peace."_

_She nodded softly and he held her briefly against him._

It had taken him only five seasons to get used to the warmth that her body could give him in the winter, even if it was for the briefest moments. It would probably take a lifetime to forget. He finally noticed Shane behind him. His lieutenant was staring at him with an unreadable expression and Byakuya realized he had to stop his pity party here because he was not really the only one to suffer in this universe. Maybe… Just maybe he didn't deserve peace. He was man enough to answer for his sins. A gleam of irritation passed in Shane Terashima's eyes as if he realized where Byakuya's thought was leading hi like Byakuya was opening a closet full of skeletons. Like a Kuchiki, his face did not reflect the troubles of his heart but Byakuya could read in his reiatsu that he could barely contain his anger at that moment, that there was no lost love between them.

As efficient as the icy bite of fresh water on his skin, Shane's anger had the merit to bring Byakuya's back to what was important today. He really did not mind. It was only fair that he had to face one of his greatest sins after all these years. His greatest failure while wearing that haori.

"Terashima?"

" Captain."

Byakuya passed him on his way to the stairs without another word. Shane followed obediently.

"You'll patrol the city with Hinamori."

"Very well."

Byakuya finally took notice of the bundle of paper and scrolls Shane was carrying under his arms.

"I took the liberty of asking for the daily formalities to be delivered here."

Byakuya nodded grimly. He had to admit Shane's work ethic was undisputable, better than Renji could ever dream to be. He'd always been a good second-in-command never neglecting the administrative side of things. He even helped Manami reconciled the shinigami affairs and the family business for Byakuya. He'd be eligible to lieutenant of the year award if it was not for the fact, given the choice he'd rather have Byakuya dead. At least Byakuya supposed he did.

The two men found the captain of the fifth division in the kitchen. She passed in front of them with steaming plates and dishes before returning to the kitchen. Byakuya frowned. He watched for a whole minute her perfectly choreographed ballet. Either time had been suspended for her or Suki Ichinose had one-track mind. Had she slept? Shane gave him the same puzzled look. Hinamori entered the dining room and his suspicions were confirmed when he heard the girl ask:

"Captain, are you alright? You should sit down. You spent the night up."

Suki did not answer and continued to come and go as if nothing had happened.

" Captain? Captain?"

Hinamori waved a hand in front of the Fifth Division captain while the latter was cutting strawberries in heart shapes. She finally looked up at her subordinate.

" Oh Hinamori-chan, you are finally up! Did you sleep well, Momo? It is imperative that you eat to start the day."

She guided Momo to the fully decorated table and forced her to sit. She looked up at the two men as if she had just realized their presence.

" Oh, Terashima-San… Kuchiki-Taicho, you're here too. Don't be shy. Sit."

Shane hesitated but finally settled next to Hinamori. Byakuya settled at the end of the table. What had happened to her reiryoku during the night? He could feel her anxiety from where he was. Rukia's arrival in the dining room came as the perfect diversion and Byakuya sighed inaudibly.

"Hello, Nii-sama, Terashima-san, Hinamori-San."

Her greeting was punctuated by a yawn. She was sorely lacking in manner. It didn't seem like her at all. Byakuya frowned.

" I didn't sleep very well."

"Did you have a nightmare, Rukia-san? Do you want some tea then?"

Hinamori asked, serving the vice-captain and the captain a cup of tea.

" I prefer coffee in the morning."

Rukia said apologetically. She lowered her head, lost in thoughts. Byakuya had no difficulty guessing where she had taken such habits. It was no doubt the influence of that street rat of Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Coffee. Of course! I am sure Captain made some. She seemed quite fascinated yesterday."

Hinamori returned from the kitchen with the coffee pot and served Rukia.

Something annoyed Byakuya about all of this. Hinamori sat down.

"Oh, Captain Kuchiki! I beg your pardon. I should have asked if you wanted some ... I ... I don't know what I was thinking."

It was definitely not the lack of decorum of Hinamori. He waved his hand to indicate that he was not upset. He turned his head to the kitchen. He could no longer read the woman's aura. As if reading his thoughts, Suki emerged again, an artificial smile on her lips.

"Eat! Eat! Eat quickly! Don't be afraid! There's more in the kitchen. Please eat to your heart's content."

Byakuya started to take a look at the paperwork. In what was starting to look like a ritual between them, Suki put a cup of tea in front of him, which he hastened to turn back after distractingly wetting his lips with the content. Of course, whatever hunger was pulling him inside his gigai, he was still determined to accept nothing from her. He was cheating a bit (although he did not consider it cheating because there was no regulation to their little cat and mouse game). He had asked Kumiko to pack him a trunk full of Taiyaki in the shape of his fave Wakame Ambassador. He dropped the package on the table before him and started munching under the curious gaze of a certain Suki-chan. Recently, he ate practically nothing else. Kumiko had outdone herself and they were excellent, spiced just the way he liked and, far surpassing anything that this woman could have offered him. She was still looking at him somewhat perplexed. He was rather happy to have found a good turnaround to Suki Ichinose's stubbornness. She pursed her lips together seemingly in annoyance. Byakuya tried to suppress the smile on his lips. A Kuchiki never gloated. It was unsightly.

Rukia, Shane, and Momo had fewer scruples than him and swallowed all that Suki had to offer in a matter of minutes. He was not exaggerating because the table was covered with mountains of empty plates, cups, and glasses. What happened to those officers? They exercised less restraint than a starved pack of wolves. Just after Rukia left for high school and only minutes after Hinamori and Shane went on patrol, Suki stood next to him and stared at her handy work triumphantly. No doubt this mountain of empty plates was enough to warm this simplistic soul's insides. Was she going to clear the table and disappear from his sight at last? Byakuya pondered.

"I am glad. It seems you all enjoyed your breakfast."

"You force-fed them like pigs in a barn. I doubt they had a choice." He noted sarcastically.

"Happy pigs at least?!" She quipped back, her cheeks annoyingly plump and pink.

"What are you talking about?"

"Even you Kuchiki-sama, that made my day, discovering you like my Taiyakis?"

"What did you just say?"

"I thought you would never appreciate my cooking, but I was wrong. You're not such a bad man after all."

Color him confused, Byakuya froze. What was she blabbing about? Suki held on her cheeks giggling like a little girl. He could picture little hearts coming out of her. How disgusting! She pointed frantically at the biscuit box he put on the table.

"To think you had them delivered to you in secret so I wouldn't know, this is so romantic somehow. It's like you're in love with me but you can't tell me. So romantic." Suki mused.

Byakuya blinked twice… or more like four times in a row.

"I know. I know it's not about romance. I just love romance. I mean... It's because you said you'd marry me if I manage to make you eat... when I was doing it all along. Isn't that romantic? I know you don't like me that way. It's just… It feels great that way. You know? That you don't like me that way?! You understand me, right?"

No, it didn't make any sense. Any sense at all!

"I don't know what delusions you put in your head this time, Ichinose-dono, but those Taiyakis were made in the Kuchiki kitchen."

She nodded frantically but soon shook her head horizontally with the same amount of energy. That lunatic!

"Yes! No! No! That's why it was so familiar the other day when your sister talked to me about it. Of course, ever since I knew about your addiction to those things… I had a feeling… I tried to replicate the recipe a hundred times over... But I couldn't quite place it… What it is that I found so intriguing... I don't have the best memory as we've already previously established and I'm truly sorry. But this, it's Bentobu made. My recipe. It was the first recipe I created when I woke up. But too much cinnamon and cardamom and my dad hated it. Found it too childish and simplistic. So I tried to hide the taste with banana, nuts, and a zest of citrus. You could feel the zest of citrus... Amazing. My dad still hated it. But my sister Cleo, she loves anything with banana in it and it was also a hit with the patrons, so it was added to the menu. Then it fell out of fashion all together and I also forgot about it. Apparently, your house must have custom ordered those biscuits behind my back all these years. I didn't even recognize the shape. Honestly, I never knew they still made those until now."

"Impossible. These are made in our shops… I've visited the Kitchen."

He was shaking his head slowly until she pointed at the two logos on the packaging. Tilting his head on the side, Byakuya realized with horror that there was indeed another sign on the package next to the Kuchiki sigil. Oddly enough, he always thought the Kuchiki House crest was alone on the packaging. There was a swallowing Komodo Dragon and he never noticed it because… Because he never looked closely enough to be fair.

"Yup, that's the Ichinose sigil. It's on every Bentobu products. Even the ones that are licensed… Did you ever heard of licensing? My Dad invented the concept. I mean half of the Ichinose family fortune is made from licensed products like these… For instance our exclusive recipe books or all my mothers' super essential soap collection that is actually sold… Well, in your shop, I think. Don't you like Capitalism?"

"It can't be…I asked for it to be designed in a certain way. I asked Kumiko… She is my..."

"You created the Wakame Ambassador design? That's curious… I mean that's quite a curious addition…That's why I was so confused. Let me tell you, as design goes, it's quite disturbing. I guess, it does remind me of you. At the time, when I made this recipe, it was not supposed to be in the shape of a Wakame anything. I know you call it that. But it was not even a Wakame. I don't like the taste of Wakame for your information. I took this traditional recipe and made it better. It was a dragon. A Komodo Dragon to be precise... and the first versions had a cute pink headband made with sugar icing too. Too sweet. I had to drop it because lots of kids were losing their teeth on it. In fact, it looked like the representation I had of my zanpakutō when I was a child. It was some kind of cool creative homage back to that time. But I guess you made them yours. That's part of the customer's experience."

She crushed him with a triumphant smile. What a cruel woman!

"You created this?"

Suki nodded frantically. Byakuya's jaw fell open.

"It's obvious you don't believe me. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. Listen… I understand. You're an old man after all. Avert to changes by definition. It must hurt your pride that you've been so... gullible and naive all these years. So, I will pretend that you still hate my cooking even if I am all warm inside that you like it… Going so far as stuffing yourself with it when I'm not looking! It's like you actually like me! I am so happy! It's like a victory! It's like a tale of tenacity where the girl wins and the boy loses. I mean… I win. You lost. It's life! I was right all along. You were so wrong since the beginning but it's okay… I won't tell anyone. We will never discuss it again. I can be gracious about it. I am naturally a discreet person I will have you know. So, I will go to the grave with the secret. You have Suki-chan's words, Kuchiki-sama... But maybe I could tell just Renji, he will laugh so hard…"

She said bursting into laughter.

"And... and Rukia-chan… She will want to know it's entirely possible for a woman to outwit a man. I should definitely tell Momo! She should learn by example!"

Suki mused all by herself. At this rate, he predicted she was about to pen an article in the next Seireitei News. His humiliation felt complete. What was wrong with that woman?

"You just said a minute ago… "

"I know… I change my mind."

Byakuya settled down with a defeated expression.

"You tend to do that… a lot."

"I do. Sorry!"

That blinding smile again. Good for the Soul she said! That crazy lunatic!

"You created this?" He kept repeating like a broken record. This couldn't be it.

"Oh, la lala ! I broke Kuchiki-sama. It's so funny. I didn't do it on purpose though. Breaking you… But I gotcha! " She pouted in amusement. "If you will excuse me I have to call for reinforcements from my squad. I simply don't do dishes."

Byakuya blinked back his sudden weariness. Gosh, it was like realizing all his life had been a sham. How dare Kumiko lie to him?! He likes her cooking. He really does. That must be a nightmare. Byakuya slowly, noticing at last, that despite saying she had things to do, Suki hadn't budged an inch. He was about to ask sharply what was wrong with her again when Suki began to stagger in front of him, her gaze suddenly vacant and hollow. Without more preamble, she rocked forward, crashed on the table literally split it in two under the impact. The entire house shook as the fifth division captain fell face first. Byakuya had just enough time to roll back his chair. He was paralyzed for a moment before what he saw. She was not moving. Was she dead? She was not moving at all. He turned mechanically to the place deserted by her lieutenant. They were alone. Byakuya hesitated. She would eventually get up alone. For heaven's sake and all that was sacred...

\- Che!

Byakuya let out an inelegant swear word that even surprised the green plant behind him. That infuriating woman! She always had to put him in a bad spot. He checked again that there were no witnesses and lifted Suki Ichinose into his arms. With a tissue, he wiped her face smeared with cream and porcelain dust. She was a little lighter than he had imagined and much heavier than Hisana. What killed that abominable creature? Was it the knowledge she won that stupid game they had that overwhelmed her? Her little mouth in heart shape let out a sigh. He carried her into the living room. Her reiatsu was still sizzling against his, so she was not quite dead, he reasoned as he put her on the couch. Was her gigai defective? He felt her forehead and spread her eyelids. No fever. She was definitely unconscious. She may have been hurt. Like every time he was in her presence, his reason temporarily deserted him. Later, he would curse himself for not thinking of calling Unohana directly. Leaning over her, he felt her hips in search of an external wound. His hands kneaded her plump waist awkwardly.

Suki gave an unpleasant grunt. Let's just say from there, it was a free fall. His brain completely shut down as he imagined that he had undoubtedly touched a sore spot and tried to untie her obi to examine it closely. He reasoned with the worst logic that he would have done the same for Kenpachi. No, it was a bad example, he would probably have let Kenpachi turn to dust before attempting anything to save him. He would have done the same for Unohana. No, he would not try to get within two kilometers of radius from Unohana's belt. With relief, Byakuya found that she was not quite naked under her kimono as he had so often imagined. She was wearing a three-layer of cotton nagajuban that was particularly transparent under ... He was interrupted by the slamming of the front door. He tied Suki Ichinose's obi in record time and knocked his head for being so basically dumb.

" Subimasen, Kuchiki-taicho! I did not want to ... Oh! Captain!"

Byakuya hurried away from the captain of the fifth division. He kept his most neutral expression. It had taken years of practice for him to master his expressions. At this level, his poker face was like a work of art. He knew what it might look like, but it did not help to look guilty. He was not guilty. If anyone was to blame, someone had to blame Suki Ichinose for creating the most perfect tea biscuit and ruining his world. He should have called Unohana. It was so unlike him. Hinamori leaned over the captain and added a cushion behind her. The young woman paused, staring at the unsightly knot that marked Suki Ichinose's belt. Byakuya kept the same impassive face. Hinamori shook her head out of contemplation.

" She simply fell to the ground. Her gigai is probably defective. We should make a call to the fourth division?"

He suggested with a look of disgust for his left hand that had touched Suki Ichinose's obi. Without questioning his words, Hinamori stared at the floor. She put a plaid under Suki's legs.

" No! No! I was just back for... that. She ... It's been four nights since the captain did not sleep."

Byakuya's eyes widened.

" The captain suffers from chronic sleep disorders. Usually, it takes much longer ... I think that has to do with..."

She hesitated like any good lieutenant to tell her captain's secrets to a stranger.

"The captain's insomnia sometimes results in narcoleptic episodes just like this one."

Suki began to snore on the couch confirming Hinamori's improvised diagnosis. She fell asleep. Byakuya really wanted to smash his head against a wall.

" In general, she wakes up after an hour or two. I will call for reinforcements from the squad. They will clean all of this. The captain never does dishes."

Hinamori bowed to him.

"I have to go find Terashima-San. Kuchiki-Taicho, please, watch over Ichinose-Taicho in my absence. Please ... If she has nightmares, it is necessary to intervene before Persephone materializes. Just wake her up."

Byakuya frowned. He did not understand very well how her stupid zanpakutō could materialize if she was unconscious ... He raised his head. Before he had time to question the vice-captain, she had vanished. He sighed. It was not the first time he had heard of insomnia in a shinigami. Shinigami with very strong spiritual pressure could completely forego sleeping for weeks. He himself once stayed awake for more than a week during a mission. Only one exception to the rule, carrying a gigai required much more resources in spiritual pressure than using a zanpakutō to keep the artificial sleeve permanently tied to one's spirit. It required they adapt and take naps at the same rate as humans. Staying up all night was not really smart. By pure kindness, Byakuya consented to let her rest for an hour.

Three hours had gone by since then and they were starting the fourth, but Byakuya had not moved from his observation post near the window. It's not like he had been watching her sleep all this time. That would have been a waste of time and his time was precious. In fact, during the last three hours, he had not been idle. He had established communication with the Captain-General, signed some reports, approved two funding requests for the Kuchiki chain stores, and drank three cups of tea. If he took the time to sit in the living room with a fourth cup of tea and a Taiyaki, near the captain of the fifth division it was above all to enjoy the exceptional brightness of this room. He put the cup on the coffee table. The almost imperceptible clatter of porcelain startled him. He stared at the table. It vibrated ostensibly. He turned his head to the source of reiatsu as it was reaching a dangerous level.

The fan of Suki Ichinose floated in the air above her. The body shaking with nervous spasms, her sleep seemed troubled. She giggled in her sleep for a brief moment and the fan began to emit a red aura. An involuntary shudder ran through Byakuya's neck, remembering Hinamori's warning. But as suddenly as she fell asleep, Suki opened her eyes. She stretched, squirmed like a snake, and groaned, scratching her throat. Her tessen fell on the floor in a thump. He kept frowning as he watched her. She was a mystery. A mystery he would have liked to understand. Of course, the excess of reiatsu manifested in many forms depending on the individual. That did not surprise him. But he had never seen a zanpakutō manifest in this way during his owner's sleep. Who was Suki Ichinose?

She turned toward him, her hair concealing part of a face.

" What happened?"

He pushed his cup of tea away from the ledge.

"Wearing a gigai is binding. You collapsed." He said simply.

She pushed back a mass of hair falling in front of her eyes. A single and thin lock the color of gold. He remembered that a few weeks back he had engaged in the most puerile duel of his existence, the difference between their power as vast as that between heaven and earth. Senbonzakura had cut two locks of golden hair and redraw the contours of her round childish face. She looked even more beautiful since.

Suki stared at the knot of her obi curiously.

" I should not have fallen asleep. It's terribly inappropriate."

Surprise blurred the features of the noble. She lowered her head and added to her astonishment.

"Forgive me Kuchiki-sama. What happened? Where is everybody?"

"Gone… Do you not remember sending them off after breakfast?"

She turned to him cluelessly.

" We had breakfast already? Did you eat anything?"

Byakuya frowned in confusion. Didn't she remember finding out his secret?

The doorbell rang, startling both captains, sparing Byakuya the need for a suitable and dignified answer. Rukia's brother waited for the strange sound to stop itself.

He exchanged a knowing glance with Suki and picked up his cup of tea. The bell started again. He noticed how pink her lips were and how graceful she could be at the oddest time as she held on the teapot again, her perfectly manicured hand on her wrist, steadying her movements as she served herself a cup of tea, the attention she paid to the slightest details without seemingly thinking about it. When it rang again, she turned to him expectantly. Kuchiki Byakuya blushed slightly. Damn!

"I think it comes from the front door. We have to do something about it, I think." He said sternly.

It had been a long time since he had taken a class about modern etiquette. He supposed that it would be enough to ...

"We may open it?"

Suki-chan shook her head frantically. Oh, no, no! If there were a few things that a Suki-chan did not do it was the dishes and opening doors.

"Of course not, Kuchiki-Sama, it's quite ridiculous. There are people to do that," She said candidly. He wanted to marry that woman. "Where is Hinamori-chan? Where is everyone?"

This magical moment where they agreed on one thing was interrupted again by the sweet sound of the carillon.

"They will leave, don't worry." Byakuya heard himself say with a gruff voice.

They were staring at each other intently, their cup of tea close to their lips. Unfortunately, the presence of a familiar reiatsu forced Byakuya to severe their fragile connection and turn his attention to the garden. He had the unpleasant surprise of coming face to face with the deformed face of that Demon Cat Shihouin Yoruichi. Urahara and the cat-woman made grimaces against the glass. Urahara was even about to drop his pants and show some butt. Byakuya hammered the buttons on the control box to activate the blinds. Damn! Che! Damn!

* * *

**Suki Ichinose**

Captain of the fifth division with Momo Hinamori under her command

Ex-Pastry Chef of BentoBu

Don't do dishes

Don't do training recruits

Don't open doors

Don't like to fall asleep and miss life

Can't resist having tea parties

To understand a Suki-Chan, you had to watch her fan, the many cracks in its structure.

* * *

Recognizing Yoruichi, Suki rushed to the door, which she just kicked out of the way. Byakuya followed the young woman out warily.

" Yorui-Chama?!"

Suki screamed.

"No! Keikosuki? Suki-Chan! Give me a hug, cousin!"

Cousin? Someone up there, the king of the spirits maybe, hated Byakuya Kuchiki!

" Cousin?"

Kisuke asked just as surprised as the captain of the sixth division. Suki nodded happily before falling into Yoruichi's open arms. The two women began to bounce on the spot with small squeals.

" I thought I knew all your family, Yoruichi!"

Kisuke moaned. He never liked being left out.

He wanted to bounce like a schoolgirl too and giggle. He approached and jumped a little, hoping to be invited in the circle. Without success, Yoruichi was hugging Suki fiercely, leaving him no opening. Poor Kisuke!

" You know her sisters… You remember Cleo. Didn't you two date at some point? She is a Suki-chan. We met Suki's mothers once while we were searching… I don't quite remember what we were doing. How odd! But I am sure you know about Uncle…"

Oblivious, Suki kept latching onto her favorite cousin tenderly.

"You must remember this suki-Chan, Kisuke! She was hiding in the second division to escape her lessons with Yama-jii. Once, we even found her in a sake amphora, completely wasted! She kept meowing like a kitten!"

" Hey, not that story!"

Yoruichi lowered her eyes toward Suki.

"Speaking of that! Keikosuki Ichinose, I can see you have a chest now?"

Keiko lowered her head.

"Yes! You noticed? They are beautiful, right!"

Forgetting etiquettes, the heiress of the Shihouin clan grabbed Suki's breasts with both hands. Byakuya turned his head quickly, his face red. Yoruichi squeezed Suki's breasts, as pushing a surprise Oh.

\- They are very sweet. Pwick! Pwick! They are small! I have more than you! Hey Kisuke! Look, they hold well in both my hands.

\- I fill my bras well, thank you very much. I told you that one day I would get just as much boobs as you do. You owe me a chocolate tank, Yorui-Chama! You said it yourself! They fill both hands quite well! She whined.

\- No! You owe me a milk tank, Suki-chan! Look! Yours are smaller. Kisuke, what do you think?

His small fan hiding his enigmatic smile, Kisuke Urahara gauged the two young women with an expert eye. He made some mathematical measurements with his hands. But really, all that lecherous old pervert wanted to do was grab on those and see what happened.

\- I would say ... Really ... A detail or two, you have the same. But maybe if I weighed them, their mass would be different ... I could make some calculations.

Yoruichi pushed him away from Keiko with a slap on his head. She winked at Byakuya.

\- Hey, Byakuya-Bo, how are you?!

This was all the attention that the cat-woman gave him nevertheless before she began babbling again with the demon woman. Oh! He just had a thought? What if she could turn into a cat too? Both women giggled as they passed him by. They both look like cats, Suki, being a chubby orange Persian cat?

\- How are your sisters, Suki? Ayasuki ...

\- You should come listen to one of her concerts these days, she is very talented.

\- Anekosuki?

\- I haven't seen her in so long. She is married to a Kyouraku. He's really unbearable. They have eight children. I don't even remember their faces. Two have entered the academy this year! Or was it last year? Or maybe was it twenty years ago?

\- Already? Asamisuki, Chiakisuki, Chisonosuki, Chiyakosuki, Fujikosuki ...

\- Married, Dead ... Married ... Soup Chef at Bentobu ... Married ...

Byakuya frowned. Kisuke Urahara walked towards him.

\- It can take hours, Byakuya. Shihouin women are very fertile.

\- I heard that, Kisuke! Yoruichi yelled back.

The straw-haired man shoved what was left of the front door and Byakuya followed him inside, not without a last horrified look at the horrible demon-woman duo.

\- I'm afraid we need to talk. We have a problem. I know why they kidnapped Orihime.

Byakuya turned his attention to Kisuke. There were no traces of mirth when he spoke again.

\- I'm afraid it will get worse before it gets better.

Yoruichi and Suki both paused at his choice of words. There was a sudden chill in the room.

Thirty minutes later, Kisuke finished clueing them into the latest events. Byakuya stood up to think.

\- To think this girl could break Aizen's seal? Are you sure this isn't a mistake? I mean she is not the most competent fighter.

\- I'm positive. Her power is unique. It can restore anything to its original form. She can negate actions.

\- At least, in theory, she could. Intervened Yoruichi. In practice, Orihime is far ... far from mastering her powers. It would be necessary to combine them with a reiatsu of exceptional strength to hope to obtain any kinds of results at all. The reiatsu of a captain ... of several captains ... if you know what I mean.

\- Or Espadas? Or the Primeros you just told us about?

Suki asked, her voice barely a whisper. Byakuya frowned. Her face did not betray her uneasiness. She seemed determined when her Reiryoku, which he had learned to read, told an entirely different story. He wondered if Yoruichi could feel it too. Keikosuki Ichinose was terrified. Yoruichi put a soothing hand on Suki's back. Byakuya sighed a bit relieved. He wasn't the only one to notice. Then something else came up…

\- You did not tell Ichigo Kurosaki about all this.

He said, returning his attention to Urahara.

\- Ah! First! There are many things Ichigo does not know. It's really for his own good. Secondly, you know why, Byakuya.

\- You don't know what to do with that information, do you?

\- It's not really advocating for her safe return, is it?

\- Maybe in the same way she could help restore that boy's s powers?

\- Well, I stand by my first argument. And for Ichigo, nothing is less sure. If breaking Aizen's seal is already a difficult endeavor, helping Ichigo recover the large… and I really mean colossal… amount of reiatsu he lost is a largely impossible operation and one whose complexity you hardly measure."

Suki blinked. Why were they talking as if that boy… Ichigo didn't have any powers? Why were they talking as if he permanently lost his reiatsu when she could very well feel…

Byakuya startled her with his firm answer.

\- You've already thought about it! You know she can restore his powers! He is his son and I'm beginning to doubt that anything could be impossible to this insolent kid."

Byakuya looked down at Suki, who was twiddling her thumbs nervously. She looked up in his direction. This conversation didn't make much sense for this Suki-Chan. Before he could stop himself, Byakuya suggested.

\- What if we tried anyway…

\- We don't know if we will find her alive…

\- What if she's found…

\- He is his son. I would even say he is their son. There are some variables to put into consideration. It would require taking risks.

\- What risks?

\- He could certainly die.

\- Die… We all died.

\- We're not talking about temporary death. We're talking the ultimate death. He would cease to exist.

Three captains out of four blinked awkwardly. Byakuya sighed audibly. He was having a bad day. He looked up as he noticed everyone's confusion mirrored his own. How strange!

"If she could have turned back the pendulum, magically make everything right, Inoue Orihime would have done so a long time ago." Kisuke simply said.

" You know I will report this to the Captain-General."

"I thought you would." Kisuke honestly shrugged.

Byakuya finally turned to stand next to him.

" You are scared too."

Suki was nothing short of petrified, at their ominous tone and their insinuations. She wanted to disappear. Yoruichi nodded in answer to Byakuya's questions.

"Yeah! He's been like that for a while. It tells you how serious this whole situation is."

"He could ask for her termination. Inoue Orihime's termination. That's why you came to me with that information. "

It was Yoruichi to stare him down. Torn between duty and morals, they wanted him to be the bad guy again. They wanted a fall guy. It reminded him of Ichimaru's voice.

_" I thought her brother might help, the one who had sworn to love her sister till death did them apart ... Or maybe that's why? Death did do you apart! Maybe love has an expiration date for you nobles!"_

"What's the other options?"

Yoruichi blinked, a bit stunned. Byakuya wasn't known to take detours and narrow dangerous paths.

"You ask what are our other options?"

Yup, Kuchiki Byakuya wasn't very fond of the idea of slaying little girls these days. Damn!

"The commander General will know for sure but he doesn't have to know all the details. He doesn't need all the details now. It's not important for the battle we are currently enrolled in. My orders are to protect the Girl. We will continue to do that. For this thing we just discussed, we will see later…"

"What about the monsters? Suki asked frightfully.

"The primeros?"

Urahara hid his face behind his fan as if he was about to tell a horror story to a candid child. Suki's eyes only grew bigger.

\- When I was still director of the Shinigami Research Institute ... I was doing my own research on the hollows, without knowing that Aizen Sousuke was conducting his own experiments on the hollowfication of living beings. He has achieved far more results than me probably by being less ethical. The first product of his research, the result of a manipulation of Reishi and hollowfication, I fought it before a hundred years ago, Rigor Mortis. It was the first Arrancar created by Aizen with his Hōgyoku.

\- I've never heard of them. Byakuya wondered. Yamamoto-sotaicho ...

\- Don't know about any of this either. They have never been registered before in our database.

\- It would have been like confessing that you were doing similar research. Byakuya concluded.

\- Byakuya-bo, I fear it was more like Kisuke did not find the time to write an essay about them, with him being accused of treason and sentenced to death…

\- You don't need to defend my behavior, Yoruichi. Byakuya is right. I acted cowardly.

Kisuke sighed. A grimace of contempt blurred the noble's features for a moment. They were dumping a whole lot on his doorsteps. He wanted a glass of plum wine.

\- These primeros ... How different are they from the espadas? Suki asked.

\- Not much. In essence, they are hollows. The difference is not in their strength either. My first observations, however, noted that they were less physically evolved, their appearance is more primitive, the result of the degenerative mutations they suffered at birth ... But their power is raw and ... it seemed heavily tied to their emotions even more than Espadas, and more like the lesser hollows.

Before Kisuke could finish answering Suki's question, the atmosphere changed, the air sizzled under the weight of a reiatsu of an exceptional intensity the air. It's like they heard it all, the fabric of the sky tearing itself. Suki could barely breathe. They are here. That reiatsu!

Byakuya and Kisuke pulled out their Denreishinki at the same time. On the screens, several targets appeared simultaneously at opposite points of the city. Without much thinking, Captain Kuchiki pulled out of his gigai and stealing the glove that was in Kisuke's left pocket, he forcefully made Suki Ichinose do the same. Those gigai were unfit for combat anyway.

Byakuya left first with Yoruichi and for a few minutes, Suki managed to follow them easily with Kisuke. But when the sky split in two and a black hole between the dimensions formed above her, she stopped immediately, her eyes wide with horror. Kisuke stood beside her. Ten Gillians pointed out the tips of their bony noses out of the hole. With a trembling voice, Suki Ichinose did the only thing she thought of. She called for reinforcements and then just stood there, hair moving in the wind floating. But even her voice died down as she looked at the torn sky/

Kisuke was talking to her. Suki blinked. What? He spoke again. This time it was the Gillians howl that covered his voice. Suki was too far away to hear him. She could only shake her head in massive denial. How could they believe one minute that this Suki-chan could serve the Gotei? How? The difference in power was ... She swallowed hard. All around them the enemy appeared in all its vile forms. Several vortices were formed in the sky of Karakura. Kisuke screamed her name. So many of them… At the same time.

\- Ichinose-Taicho!

She was not a soldier. She did not have the strength. She didn't have that much courage. She no longer felt her own reiatsu cushion her steps and she was probably falling. Fact is, she didn't know. She had to go home ... It was necessary ... Defying gravity, Suki backed into the air.

_\- Where are you going at this late hour?_

_\- I ... I wanted to get some fresh air._

_\- You are about to join that boy, confess!_

_\- No!_

_\- Keiko, this is desertion? What if they caught you? What are you going to tell our father?_

_\- I'm not even a shinigami yet. This is not desertion. It's not like we're real soldiers. It's not like we're ever gonna be real soldiers. It's not like this is real life. It's not my life at least._

_\- I'm your sister, Keiko. I love you more than anyone else. Father loves you too. We love you all. Don't go! I'm going to pretend I did not see anything. My Taicho will not know anything. Yamamoto-sensei will not know. Go back to the dormitory and forget about that boy._

_She stood there for a second before turning again to leave._

_\- I'm sorry, Natsuki._

_\- He's a rebel. He is the enemy of Seireitei. He is the enemy of Father. He is my enemy._

_\- I am sorry. I don't want to become a shinigami. This… We're just children. He is right. This world doesn't care for children like us. I've been to the Rukon-districts… I've seen kids fading like they were just smoke… The Rukongai… Where the kids are roaming the streets, trying to make ends meet with the shinigami beating them up. Yamada is right this world is not fair. And I am not like you. I am not good at being a soldier. I'm not a soldier. I can't follow orders blindly. I am not good at making war._

_\- I do not make war, Keikosuki. I preserve peace. One day, you will understand the difference. I do it because I like peace. I'm afraid it will be just too late._

Where to flee? Where to hide? Someone would always find her trace and ask her to do the impossible again. As if she ever wanted this… Suki's eyes blurred with tears. She stood petrified.

_\- Don't do this! What are you doing? You killed those innocent people for sure! No! No! I believed you when you said you wanted to make the world a better place. A fun place. And you.. you ... you used me! How could you be so cruel?_

_\- Do this one thing and I won't kill you._

_\- What are you saying?_

_\- You heard me! I told you I had it with the old man! I am going to kill Genryūsai Yamamoto whatever it takes. And I'll kill everyone who stands in my way. That is what I believe in. It's the price of my ideals!_

_\- I am..._

_\- His favorite goddaughter, I know. So you're either with me or you're with the dead._

_\- Let me go!_

_\- He is going to come soon anyway. For you… And when he comes I want you to be ready to show him what you show me…_

_\- No!_

_\- Show him your Bankai._

_\- No! You lied! That was a secret! Why did you lie to me? I believed you! I believed you! Let me go! Let me go back! I would never do what you ask of me._

_The sound of the metallic shackles around her ankles and fists were deafening._

_\- You already did. Wasn't it fun getting married?_

_She screamed and screamed until her voice broke down as she sagged on the floor._

_\- You're nothing Keikosuki. You're just a tool. Your life means nothing to me. You are nothing against my ideals. Shush now… Say nothing more… It's going to be fine. Close your eyes… and it will end. Just close your eyes. Just Rest. Leave the rest to me._

**EPIC COVER | ''Don't Speak'' by Hidden Citizens (Reawakenings Vol.2)**

Suki Ichinose was petrified ... afraid. She couldn't speak. She couldn't scream.

\- Ichinose-Taicho! Suki! Keikosuki!

She finally turned her head to Kisuke Urahara. She could not move a limb anymore. Could it be because she felt a gathering of spiritual pressure, its intensity far exceeding that of the ten Gillians in front of her, far to the west towards the river? So there were worse monsters than these Gillians ... worse monsters than these she had to fight. There was...

\- I take care of those, I will join you later. Go on!

She shook her head, trembling. She couldn't move. She couldn't move her legs. Kisuke stared with concern at the young woman for a few seconds. The Gillians opened their mouths slowly and prepared to launch a combined Cero attack. Kisuke pointed his shikomizue in front of him.

"Wake up, Benihime"

His cane resumed its original form, that of a refined red and black Katana. He turned slightly to face the young woman, his eyes half concealed by his hat.

\- Ah! I see! It's the first time.

She turned her head gasping, panicked. What was she doing here? She shouldn't be here, right? She took Natsuki-chan's place because it made her father and Yamamoto-Sensei happy, but of Natsuki's talent, she was devoid. Natsuki's courage ... she .. didn't have any of it.

\- I can… I cannot be captain! I ... I ... I don't like to fight! It is true! I don't want to be here! I don't want to die here! I don't wanna be here… You have to call someone else.

Kisuke screamed louder to cover the Gillian roar.

\- You are the captain! It's not about loving the job, believe me!

\- But I can't ... do it… I can't do anything right. Bad. Disobedient Girl. People died because of me. They cease to exist. I made mistakes. I can't be here. I don't want to make mistakes again! Please… I'm calling Central Command. Here, it's captain Ichinose… Can someone send help? Please!

She cried.

\- I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I can't move. I can't breathe.

With a unanimous roar, the Gillians released their cero. Tears flowed down her cheeks. She was still unable to move, paralyzed by her impending death. Inevitable. Of course, she never entered any real fight in her life.

_\- Father!_

_\- You never really fought for anything! You thought that was your fight, little girl? You thought you understood anything about this world, Suki? What were you thinking, listening to that guy ?! These men died because of you. They were friends of men. They were good people! Look at them! They died because of your stupidity and naivety! They died because all you wanted was to play, you selfish girl! You'll be lucky if Yamamoto-Sensei does not ask for immediate sanctions. I'll let him because you're not my daughter anymore! You're not my Suki. You're a disgrace!"_

Big limpid tears silently rolled down her cheeks.

\- Ichinose-Taicho, call your zanpakutō, or we're both going to die!

\- I want to fall asleep ... It's not good. Persephone ... I can't call… I want ... I cannot ... make anymore mistakes…I ... I'm sorry.

\- Ichinose-Taicho, you are with me now! So call your Zanpakutō! It's you he chose ... Look at me! Keikosuki is it? He chose you and he chose me when he could read easily in my eyes that I would never be up to the task and that I would always try to escape my fate! I was born a crime. I have a feeling you know exactly how that feels like.

Keikosuki stared at him, in shock.

\- Urahara Kisuke?

\- I know how scared you are! I'm scared all the time too! You have to know fear to be captain! To be able to fight it!

She turned her head toward him, slowly. She shook her head.

\- Help…Please!

"Chikasumi No Tate, Benihime. [1]"

The Cero wave smashed against Benihime's red shield, protecting both of them. But already, other Gillians were preparing to open their mouths.

\- Listen carefully! Yamamoto chose you. That's how he operates. He has a knack for it. Choosing people. I was so scared the day of my exam that I practically piss my pants in front of him. I was late. Yoruichi wanted to strangle me above all. He knew it. It's for the same reason he chose you. He saw that you were a captain. He saw it in you.

\- He chose me.

\- Because he knows who you are… who you can be on your worst day… and on your best day... He saw it all. So, do your best! For your men ... For those who count on you! Breathe ... Do what comes naturally to you. Because, whether you like it or not, you are their captain. They need you. We all need you. Right here! Right now!

\- Hinamori-chan?

She turned her head towards him at last, breathing heavily.

\- Hinamori-chan is ... She's fighting. She's counting on me. She said… She trusted me. I didn't want to make any promises because that man hurt her so bad. They've crushed her… She was so broken. I'm so broken. I didn't want her to stay that way… I didn't want to stay that way… Help! I wanted to help!

\- She needs you. They need you. You are the captain of the fifth division and even if it's your last battle ... She needs you to fight for her… That broken little girl.

**PRELUDE TO PARADISE - IMMEDIATE MUSIC**

Closing her eyes, her left foot slipped naturally to get into position. She spun on herself gracefully. A tornado of air took root to the ground to engulf them both. Kisuke whirled around in surprise, as he started to notice, rocks, cement, iron scraps slowly rose to the sky despite gravity. She slammed open her fan once. The tornado it produced stopped the Gillians in the progression. Kisuke held on his hat firmly against the wind. His eyes widened again as he felt the atmosphere changed in the air. Her left pupil quickly turned black like spilled ink. Like a heartbeat, he felt it. She exhales softly and it was like the world turned critically red. The fuck was that reiatsu! Kisuke pushed back on his hat, as he felt his throat clenched painfully, close up and burned. His own lungs were suddenly on fire. He felt like blood was coming out of his mouth. But as he stood, there nothing happened. He choked twice. What was that? That reiatsu! She was one of them. That reiatsu! He could never forget that reiatsu. It was like a call… Like a sonar… There was another critically red millisecond, almost impossible to detect to the naked eye, and he turned in the direction of the Ichinose River, a bead of sweat traveling his spine. What was that? Who was that? Yoruichi! Did she just feel that? It's like Keikosuki called for something out there and it just responded. Suki breathed in deeply, sucking all the air back in both her lungs. Her spiritual pressure seemed back to normal again, as normal as it could be for a captain. Suki shook her head, getting out of her dazed state. She opened her Tessen with a snap.

" **Taberu, Perusepone.** [2] " She whispered to the wind.

The Menos Grande were already about to step out of Kumon. Five new Gillians bombed them with Cero.

" **Tenshi no Dai-Gui, Perusepone**.[3]"

Their faces were illuminated by a reddish aura while Persephone grew in her hand in the shape of a broad, almost transparent, flowery fan. She opened her palm and Persephone shielded them. Kisuke winked. Persephone sucked the cero rapidly. Almost with gluttony. With a sigh of relief, the merchant ran his finger over his hat mischievously. He needed to find out about Yoruichi's cousin. For Curiosity's sake... But also for Ichigo's sake.

Suki swept the air again with her fan letting Persephone find the best angle. The spikes of Suki's Tessen rejected the Cero blast like a calculated powerful machinegun.

" **Nake, Benihime.** "

The power of their two combined zanpakutō eradicated the column of Menos Grande in seconds. The Garganta slowly closed. What happened earlier? Kisuke promised to investigate.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Playlist
> 
> Song: Prelude to Paradise
> 
> Artist: Immediate Music
> 
> Album: Trailerhead.
> 
> Song: EPIC COVER | ''Don't Speak''
> 
> Artist : Hidden Citizens
> 
> Album: (Reawakenings Vol.2)
> 
> Next chapter = The scars of the past.
> 
> [1] Shield of blood haze.
> 
> [2] Eat Persephone.
> 
> [3] The gluttony of the angel


	22. Scars of the Past

**-22-**

**The scars of the past**

* * *

**Hinamori Momo**

Vice-captain of the fifth division under the command of Suki Ichinose.

Friend of Tōshirō Hitsugaya

If Hinamori Momo's puzzle was to be glued back together, Shane Terashima was not volunteering to help.

* * *

Momo followed Shane as best she could on the rooftops of the city. She had had little opportunity to train since her discharge from the hospital. Her new Taicho was fantastic, but combat practice and training were not her forte. Suki-Taicho hated being away from her kitchen for more than an hour. In the early days, Momo had nothing to complain about because the change in direction was good for her. Suki-Dono was so different from Aizen-Sama. It was like starting from scratch.

Nevertheless, she had to admit that it came with its disadvantages. Her ranking dropped. Most of her organs had been regenerated so, of course, Momo Hinamori was not at her best. She should have discussed it with Terashima-San but they did not have much opportunity to discuss anything.

She watched his imposing figure. Under his eye-patch, he had a tattooed symbol of the rokubantai. His silver hair was waving in the wind behind him. Momo still remembered the first time they met. Fresh out of the academy, she crossed paths with him as he always walked in front of Kuchiki-taicho, unlike Renji, who used to do the opposite. Shane always led the way for the nobleman as surely as an army of bodyguards. Momo remembered feeling small back then. They both represented the unreachable nobility. When Momo had the misfortune to meet him in the corridors, with or without Kuchiki-Taicho, she always felt uncomfortable. Rumors circulated about Terashima-San back then. He had a twin sister. She died. His father also was dead, killed in the last great civil war, the same day as Captain Kuchiki's father. Momo had never been interested in them. Aizen-Sama had once advised her to keep her distance. He had said that he could not bear the thought of unpleasant things to happen to Momo in his absence. But could she really trust the man who tried to kill her?

Momo looked up.

He disappeared.

Shane was gone.

For a few minutes, she turned 360 degrees to find any traces of the vice-captain. The air rippled behind her and a hollow emerged from a vortex.

Momo avoided the acidity of his attack in time. He ran away. She went after him, jumping from roofs to roofs. He opened a dimensional portal and disappeared. A second hollow materialized in front of her, and with the hilt of her sword, Momo lost no time and purified it. Seconds later, the hollow, which she pursued earlier, reappeared behind her. Her katana banged against his mask, causing him some damage, not enough to kill. Her heart palpitated in her chest. She tried but failed to follow him. He was too fast. He disappeared again and reappeared behind her. He launched another acid attack with a roar. The viscous liquid fell back onto the concrete floor and dug a crater on the surface.

"Hajike Tobiume"

She slipped on the floor to move away. But before she pointed Tobiume's in the right direction, she saw the Hollow disintegrate. She followed the tip of the nodachi to its guard, and then to his wielder.

\- Thank you.

She bowed. Shane put his weapon in the sheath he was wearing on his back. She had failed to notice it earlier.

\- They were five. It's not normal. Level 1 hollows don't hunt in packs.

Hinamori nodded. Shane had gotten rid of the other three. Momo agreed, she could feel it in the air. It sizzled with activity. If only she had been faster ...

\- You should go back to HQ.

He stared at her for a long time. Even though he had only one eye available, his look was no less piercing.

\- I'm fine, Terashima-san. She said with a smile.

\- You slow me down.

* * *

**Shane Terashima**

Vice-Captain of the Sixth Division.

Member of the Kuchiki clan

Shane was a puzzle all on his own. He was distinctly too complicated for a small simple-minded little miss Hinamori.

* * *

\- You slow me down.

Shane had been harsh. But if he had to be honest with Hinamori, in her present state, she was Vice-captain in name only. Of course, he was aware of her health issues. Her story moved all Seireitei. After the war, people kept talking about two things, the fate of poor Hinamori, and what Matsumoto Rangiku did. They were the favorite gossip topics. Unfortunately, Shane had been too busy trying to regain his lost seat to care. Yeah, he knew the gist of it. Her captain betrayed her and revealed himself to be the worst conceited asshole, but hey, it's not like little kids in Rukongai stop dying from hunger all because of it! Nothing was new! His captain was also a conceited asshole! Was he in the mood to create a support group?! Not really! And yeah, the wound she had to heal from was no walk in the park! Still! Fuck no, he was not going to hold her hands! She should go the fuck home! Everybody got their crosses to bear!

Momo had remained silent watching him with big shining eyes. Poor kid lost on a battlefield!

She tidied her zanpakutō slowly. Using shunpo, she materialized in front of him and bowed again modestly. She only managed to piss him off more with her move.

\- I know that I must be a weight for Terashima-san. But if he allows me, I will continue to do my best to perform my duties and will do everything not to hinder Terashima-san.

She kept her head down but her reiatsu blew warm air on his face. He swallowed hard. The kid had some gut. What she said didn't match the sudden hostility of her reiryoku. This was called being put back in his place. Ok, he should have put it gently! He took a few steps towards her. She raised her head and offered him a smile that did not hide the sparks of anger in her eyes.

\- I did not want to look like a bastard and a heartless asshole! God knows you had enough of those these past few months...

The girl's eyes widened with surprise. She stared at him, curiously. That's why he preferred to keep silent. He had often been reminded that he lacked the legendary phlegm necessary for a noble in every circumstance.

\- I know you're one of the best vice-captains of the gotei. You have one of the three most powerful fire-based zanpakutō.

Hinamori widened her eyes even more.

\- Three fire-based zanpakutō?

Ryujin Jakka, Tobiume, Seiryutō, my zanpakutō.

\- Oh ! Terashima-San ... I did not want to ...

\- I've been on the sidelines for a long time, just fucking watching. I'm probably too impatient to prove myself. Forgive me, therefore, for being so rude.

He took off his eye patch for a brief moment. Hinamori could not help flinching at the grizzly sight.

\- I was the vice-captain, well before Renji Abarai. When I was injured on a mission, I struggled to recover. So I know what it's like to lose your groove, trust me.

She nodded, her eyes lowered sadly.

\- I understand. You have a point. But, I'm still vice-captain, and as long as I'm in charge, I'll do my best. I vowed to myself that this wasn't going to be the end of me.

He shook his head. He could understand too. The balance in the energies suddenly changed. The wave of a foreign reiatsu made the air unbreathable for both of them.

Arrancars?

Without asking permission, he hoisted Hinamori on his back and hurried toward the threat.

While crossing the rooftops of Karakura, he saw Rukia. He did not slow down as Hinamori pointed to the bridge with her finger.

\- I am not afraid. I am not afraid. He heard her whisper in his neck.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short transition chapter.   
> Next Chapter=The Primeros March.
> 
> Playlist:
> 
> Music: Friction
> 
> Author: Imagine Dragons
> 
> Album: Mission Impossible: Fallout Soundtrack


	23. The Primeros March

* * *

**Kurosaki Ichigo**

Full-time high school student in Karakura city

Former substitute shinigami

Friend of Kuchiki Rukia and Renji Abarai

Full-time idiot with women.

* * *

 **Orphan Black ( Finale Theme Season 1) –** Trevor Yuile

He was a moron. There was no other word to define him and his stupidity. He glanced at Rukia, who was walking silently by his side. Chad and Uryu vaguely tried to make conversation earlier. But the tension was solid in the air. He did not need to be able to read in her reiatsu to see that.

They arrived at the school gates. But Ichigo stopped the little shinigami with one hand.

\- Guys, go ahead, we'll join you in a minute.

Ishida and Chad gladly complied. Nobody wanted to witness Ichigo making a fool of himself one more time. Rukia looked up at him, her purple eyes like crystalline towers of loneliness. Solitude. That's it. If he had to explain his latest choices, he certainly had to start with that.

\- I was alone.

She opened her mouth immediately. He did not let himself be interrupted.

\- I felt lonely. I am without power. I am basically powerless now, Rukia. I cannot be a shinigami anymore. You, more than anyone else, should know what that means. I'm not saying all this for you to worry. I'm good. I just did not want to wait to move on. I had to make a conscious choice. Make a move or remained dead. I did not want to worry anyone. I wanted to live my life. But I never wanted things to change between us. You see?

Was it the right words? Was it going to be enough to erase the tensions between them? She looked down at the floor, her face hidden behind her bangs. He could not pretend with her. Still, he would have liked. He could pretend he did not care that Rukia accepted or not his relationship with Orihime since he was totally free to do what he wanted. He owed her nothing. And if only she had shown the face of the usual Rukia, that's exactly what he would have said. If only the kid in front of him had shown Rukia's confident and smug face, he would have grabbed her arm, shook her a bit, and told her that. No need to sugarcoat the whole conversation, he would have told her that she was the one who ordered him to live his life like a normal teenager. He would have told her all this if only ... If only, if she hadn't looked so broken up right now… If only she did not look so resigned. If only she clenched her fists and prepared to hit him… If only, her face did not send back the idea that he had broken part of the contract that bound them. He did not even know what to say. He waited for her to come back. She was his best friend. What did she expect him to do?

Should he apologize for having feelings for Orihime? Should he apologize for not telling her sooner? He could not apologize for that. She was not there. He waited.

Rukia slowly patted his heart with one of her small hands. The contact pulled him out of his reverie. It was possible he told her nothing of value. He realized that he was still standing in the middle of the yard under this damn plastic rabbit with her. Except that ... Except that she was not the Rukia in his memory ... From the only point of view of Ichigo, Rukia Kuchiki had shrunk drastically.

\- Hmm ... you're stupid, Ichigo. You are always there to dramatize everything. I'm happy for you.

\- Huh! Really?

She shrugged nonchalantly.

\- Of course, Orihime is a great person. She is my friend. You better behave with her because otherwise ... You'll have to deal with me!

Her lips narrowed in a straight smile, a smile that did not need to stretch her lips, a smile that was not accompanied by any kind of feelings, a smile that did not restore any glow to her dark eyes. She just gave him a fucking Kuchiki smile. The joke was on him.

Ichigo frowned. Flipping Rukia's chin up with the flick of his thumb, he forced her to stare into his eyes. Rukia swept his hand away harshly, shaking her head.

\- Oi, Ichigo ...

\- Rukia ...

Ichigo was quietly lost, drowned by the sight of her. She was here. It was like the rain had stopped raining.

His hand was back on her frail neck, his thumb brushing away her silky hair. Ichigo swallowed hard, the muscle in his jaw suddenly tense. He stared as she slowly licked her lips, with that disgusting crisp smile. He was alone. He was without direction. What he did, he did to survive… What he wanted was to be the man she once stabbed in the heart…

\- I…chigo… She tried again weakly.

He realized his left hand was clasping part of her neck and shoulder. He looked up briefly. Standing in front of the stairs, Tatsuki was watching them like a hawk ready to pounce.

\- I'm glad you're here. I'm just glad you're here, Rukia.

Releasing his grip, he patted her clumsily as if she was one of the boys. She coughed a little and turned immediately, avoiding his eyes.

\- Don't worry I'll find her. I'll bring her back ... even if it's the last thing I do. Okay?

\- Rukia ...

\- Ichigo, I'm a little stronger today and if I say I will bring back Inoue you have to trust me. That's what best friends do. They trust each other. I promise.

\- Rukia ...

The surprise delayed his answer. But he finally nodded slowly, biting his lower lips to force a stupid goofy smile on his face. She eagerly smiled back this time. It's like Ichigo just signed away his powers all over again. It seemed to consume everything he had.

**2WEI - In The End (Epic Trailer Cover - Powerful Epic Vocal)**

It's not like he could rewind that conversation. It's not like he could rewind the events of the past months. Orihime was his girlfriend. Rukia was just his friend. Everything seemed rather clear in his mind. Then minutes later, it wasn't. It's not like he could take back that kiss. It's not like he could deny Orihime had a special spot in his heart. It's not like he didn't know he had a spot in hers he felt most undeserving of half the time. It's not like he was that great of a guy, to begin with. He wasn't thinking of anyone's feelings but his. He wasn't mindful at all. It's not like he didn't think of the last time he saw Rukia every time he was with Orihime. It's not like he didn't wonder what she did when they were apart. It's not like they could get back those 91 days they lost. No, it was definitely not like that. He just wanted to relish in the fact that they were back together facing incredible dangers together like old times. While he felt his world crumbled a little under the pressure of everybody's expectations, he tried to find solace in her. He sighed as they stared at each other, forgetting the world for a little while longer. He just needed time.

"Oh, Kurosaki-Kun!" Rukia finally said recovering her girlish accent. "You will make us late."

Ichigo rolled his eyes comically and winked at her. There was no time, not for this Kuchiki. At the same time, it wouldn't be Rukia if she wasn't super serious and solemn about everything she did. He got the message loud and clear. He watched her push past Tatsuki, climbing the stairs while the brunet kept staring at them like they just murdered someone in front of her. Ichigo scratched his head and took a deep breath. Fuck! Bitterness tinged his smile. Bitterness was a new feeling. An adult feeling.

An explosion echoed behind him. It was more than sounds. It's like danger resonated inside of him, like last night, when he felt that hollow behind him. He remained paralyzed. Tatsuki and Keigo pointed at the sky screaming for people to find shelter. Rukia ran down the stairs and rushed past him without stopping.

Chad and Uryu followed her. Ichigo turned his head to the torn sky. He could not see anything. He still could not feel the danger. Blind and deaf, he rushed behind them.

* * *

**Rukia Kuchiki**

4th seat of the 13th Division under Ukitake Jūshirō.

Sister of Kuchiki Byakuya.

Even a heart in a thousand pieces can fight, it's called instinct.

* * *

**In The End" Linkin Park Cinematic Cover (feat. Jung Youth & Fleurie) / Produced by Tommee Profitt**

Listening to him was worse than receiving a dozen needles in her heart, the young woman realized. She was pathetic. Rukia had nodded and found the right words to reassure Ichigo. She knew it was not about her and not even about them. Ichigo and she were nothing for each other except for very good friends. He was her Nakama. They were somewhat brother-in-arms. He had her back. She got his. She had no right to demand anything more of him. She could finally put what she felt into words. Even if it cost her, she could admit she felt something for him. Admiration or affection she couldn't tell really... Where it begins or ends… She felt something. She trusted him to the point of putting her life back into his hands. The vulnerability she felt when he was staring at her like that, him, a simple mortal boy a century younger than her. She had never felt this for anyone... As if it wouldn't matter to her if she had to face Aizen again if only Ichigo was by her side. She breathed sharply. No, she never felt this for anyone… Not Renji… Nor Kaien-Dono ... It was much closer to what Kaien-Dono said he felt for his wife Miyako-Dono. Maybe it was much closer to love. Well, it's not like she had a lot of role models. And although Rukia was unable to call it Love with certainty, there was a part of her that thought she was born to live in Ichigo Kurosaki's closet. A part of her that started counting down time ever since they met for the first time. A part of her who thought herself madly in love with a young mortal boy.

Rukia closed her eyes as she climbed the stairs, leaving him behind her.

But she knew there was no future for them. They belonged to two different worlds. She was a Kuchiki. She had responsibilities to her family, her division ... to herself. Tears flowing in spite of her along her cheeks. It was just the last residue of a teens' love affair as in the mangas she devoured at Ichigo. It had been good for her soul to pretend for a while.

Her blood turned cold. What was this reiatsu, suddenly? Her face grew pale. The detonation of an explosion was heard in the distance. And without asking more questions, Rukia ran down the stairs with Chad and Uryu on her heels.

She pushed past Ichigo without seeing him, staring up at the sky where several black vortices were forming. A pocket was torn off on the path that led to the park in the center. A dozen first category hollows appeared in the sky, attracted by the reiatsu of Tatsuki, Keigo, and Chizuru.

\- Rukia, I will take care of those. Go!

Uryu shouted, changing direction.

\- I am coming with you.

Chad snapped and turned back to the high school.

\- Ok, but it's dangerous. Stay on your guard!

Uryu nodded. He knew that spreading would help cover the most ground.

\- You too, be careful, Rukia.

For the next minute, they were all paralyzed by the gigantic amount of spiritual pressure released near the river. Like a pillar of light, it colored the sky with red. Arrancars? The very idea sent a chill down Rukia's back.

\- Whatever you do, Rukia, you're not going over there alone.

Rukia was startled by Ichigo's voice, realizing he followed her all along. His face contorted painfully as he dropped on one knee.

\- Ichigo? Are you okay? Can you feel that? Can you see this?

He shook his head frantically, veins showing on the side of his neck. Rukia saw Shane crossed on the rooftops, Hinamori on his back. Both disappeared into a shunpo. Rukia turned to Ichigo. She helped him to his feet but he crawled back, impacted all the spiritual pressure around them. She decided to drag him to the side so he could lean against a streetlamp.

\- It's okay. You will be okay here. You stay here. I have to go…

Ichigo grabbed her arm forcefully.

\- Please, let go.

\- I don't know what is there. But don't go, Rukia.

Rukia shook her head, eyes suddenly blurry with unshed tears. She didn't even know when it started. This thing she had for this boy. She didn't know how to stop it. She couldn't see him in pain.

\- Don't go. Rukia, please. I beg you. Don't go over there alone.

She knew what was there just by staring into his eyes. On the shore of that river, Ichigo watched his mother died. But even knowing this, she couldn't let this get to her. She did not have time to take care of him, to reassure him, make him feel better, make him trust her... There was no time. The worst of all was that she was not even sure anymore that it was within her prerogatives to do so. Rukia simply shrugged, swallowed a Mod soul and felt her soul come off her Gigai. She ordered Chappy to watch over Ichigo and prevent him from following her by any means. Without a look to Ichigo, her hand on her Zanpakutō, she flew over the rooftops to where the threat was. Nope, she couldn't let this get to her.

She arrived on the bridge overlooking the river shortly after Shane and Hinamori. She perched herself on one of the pillars. Passersby below left their cars in a hurry and fled. Rukia swallowed hard. Behind a cloud of heavy smoke, she saw the threatening figure of Ulquiorra Schiffer emerge with Orihime in his arms, coming out of a garganta.

She immediately jumped to the ground and without question, she pointed her zanpakutō at him. He stopped the blade of her sword with one finger visibly without any effort.

\- Kuchiki-San? Moaned Orihime.

\- Orihime? Orihime, are you okay? Let go now, Espada!

Rukia was surprised to see him obey without a word.

\- Kuchiki-San, Ulquiorra ...

Orihime's words died on her lips. Rukia remained on guard and turned her head to Shane. The Vice-Captain of the Sixth Division kept his eyes on the cloud of smoke, Hinamori too. Following their gaze, she uttered a hiccup of terror. They were caught between two fires. They were encircled by Espada or arrancars. They mostly had a humanoid appearance. One of them had a horn on his forehead. They were all monstrously ugly and misshapen.

\- Well, Well, so many people around here? We're lucky, Barruk! Announced the leader.

His eyes were two dark orbs, but it was his yellow smile that Rukia found the most disturbing. She'd already seen a similar smile. Cruel, cold, threatening ... He reminded her of Gin Ichimaru ... His visit to Senzaikyū moments before her execution came back to her. She detailed his sturdy companion sporting a long black ponytail and a beard. The next Arrancar had half the appearance of a woman, but half of her face was that of an ogre ...

Their leader spoke again.

\- Hey, Ulquiorra, you don't mind if I brought some of our acquaintances. You disappeared so quickly with our main guest. Give us back the girl, I promise I'll be nice to her. A real gentleman!

Ulquiorra raised his head in his direction, hands in his pockets. His green eyes did not express the slightest emotion.

\- If you give her back to me, I'll be nice to you too, Cuatro. I will not send you six feet underground!

The one next to the leader growled loudly at that. She did not know if the threat had impacted the Espada. But that confirmed Rukia's suspicions and she got closer to Orihime and Ulquiorra, firmly holding her zanpakutō. Without warning, one of the creatures threw himself at her. Rukia turned her zanpakutō clockwise, the guard and sword crystallized. She called forth her Shikai with all her strength.

"Mae, Sode no Shirayuki"

As soon as Vultur's fist collided with Shirayuki, Rukia realized that despite appearances, the difference between her strength and that of her opponent was enormous. The force of the impact sent her slipping on the asphalt a few meters away.

\- You're a pretty little boy, aren't you?

On the other hand, it was the last thing to say to one Rukia Kuchiki. Her katana split the air over her head. He shielded himself with the Hierro of his left arm. She landed strikes after strikes on him. But when the creature saw the first opening, his fist hit Rukia's sword and a violent electric shock ran through Rukia's fingers. She shivered uncontrollably and dropped one knee.

\- You cannot touch me, little boy. The Hierro of a Primeros is almost indestructible.

Rukia pushed her legs with determination and targeted his belly. He pushed her away with a single punch. She went and crashed against the bridge's guardrail. The impact left its mark on metal and plastic.

\- Rukia! Orihime shouted.

Rukia spat out a stream of viscous hemoglobin. She stifled a cry of pain as she fell to the floor. Orihime tried to shake off Ulquiorra's grip to join her injured friend. At the same time, the Espada was fighting against the one named Archer. Rukia tried to catch her breath as the world flickered to black and white around her. She felt overwhelmed with nausea.

\- Is that a shinigami? I was expecting something more impressive.

Vultur pushed back his long blonde hair, his muscular arms protruding. Rukia wiped the blood flowing from her face as he walked toward her. It was then that she saw him, and it halted her breathing for a few seconds. Ichigo! She did not know how he could escape Chappy's surveillance. But he was now in front of her on the shore ... the distance that separated them seemingly immense at that moment, they could just as easily have stood in two different dimensions. He did not see her; she was sure of it. He could not. But on his knees in the grass, he kept staring at the bridge. Protect. She needed to make this quick.

\- You see the fact that Aizen preferred the Espada to us Primeros, it was enough to give us a few complexes. But in fact, you are just dead dust.

Rukia wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her Shihakusho. She gritted her teeth. He stepped toward her again, his fist shut. The brunette suddenly slipped between the legs of her opponent, rolled nimbly out of the way and directed a ball of blue energy on his target with one hand.

"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens. 73rd Way of Destruction Soren Sokatsui!"

Generating blue energy with her index and middle fingers, Rukia pushed with both her open palms toward her target. The bomb split in two before exploding on the Arrancar. However, he only got a few scratches.

\- You thought you could kill me with so little effort, little boy? You're kidding, right?

It was pointless. Nothing seemed to shake the Hierro of this Arrancar. He seemed even more invulnerable than an Espada.

\- Do you wonder why none of your attacks affect me?! It's very simple, we Primeros, we are not cluttered for the most part by all the superfluous skills the Espadas are born with. We don't all have useless resurrections for example. Our power is manifested in the most brutal and effective way. For this reason, I'll show you right away that I do not need a zanpakutō to break you in two.

He clasped his hands and Rukia raised her head to the sky where gray clouds were piling up. The lightning fell a few meters in front of her and it's as if the monster could capture all that energy between his fingers. He could wrap the lightning between his fingers and use it as a lasso. Rukia screamed as the lasso wrapped around her throat and lifted her into the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = The difference a reiatsu makes


	24. The difference made by a reiatsu

* * *

**Kurosaki Ichigo**

Full-time high school student in Karakura city

Former substitute shinigami

Friend of Kuchiki Rukia and Renji Abarai

In his kingdom, it was raining all the time these days, and as a result, hollow Ichigo was down with a fever.

* * *

**Muse - Uprising**

Rukia had told him to stay away. And getting rid of Chappy was hard. When he finally sowed the mod-soul a couple of streets downtown, he had lost all traces of Rukia. Not knowing what direction she took after she left their school, he turned around cluelessly for a while. But when he heard an explosion ahead, Ichigo rushed in the direction of the river. It took him ten more minutes to get there. He deduced that if his three friends were separated, it was because the enemy was on several fronts. Rukia was inevitably heading for the greatest threat. He jogged harder, speeding up at the expanse of his lungs, which did not keep up. He raised his head towards the bridge. Cars were unnaturally piled up on one side. Another explosion resonated deep inside him. What he saw on the bridge stopped him dead in his tracks. A girl with Red hair... Orihime?

\- Orihime?

He was still too far away for her to hear. He rushed towards them, but he ran into an invisible barrier and fell to the ground on his knees, gasping for breath. **[end music]**

\- Rukia?

He coughed out on his back. He practically could not move. He could barely breathe.

\- Rukia?

Gritting his teeth, Ichigo rolled on his stomach, gathering his strength back. He scanned his surroundings, convinced that he was not alone. He was blindly searching for his surroundings. He could not even sense his enemy. Because the person who prevented him from joining Rukia and Orihime could only be an enemy. Tears burned his cheeks. _Shit! Fuck! Shit! Stand up Ichigo! Stand!_ He gasped.

**''Uprising'' - Damned Anthem (Muse Cover)**

Ichigo felt his airways constricted by an invisible barrier and leaned on his knees. He clawed the ground helplessly! _Damn it! Rukia! I'm coming! Rukia!_

 _Not here!_ _Not in front of the canal where he lost his mother!_ _Everywhere but here!_ He struggled to fill his lungs with air as he tried to resist helplessly against the force that brought him closer to the ground. He had to protect them. He could never forgive himself if something happened to them. If something happened to Rukia while she was trying to save Orihime ... How could he look himself in the mirror after that? How could he be a man? He fell back to the ground, his arms twisted behind him. Ichigo groaned like a wounded beast. He opened his eyes to geometrical towers underwater. He gasped again, searching for air.

\- Arrgghhhhhhhhhh!

In a blink, his flooded inner world was gone, and he was back to struggling in the dirt. He was going to make the bastard who used Bakudō on him pay dearly! He choked again and threw up a little. His eyes went wide with stupor as he caught a glimpse of his assailant. He should have known. Tilting his head with an effort, Ichigo distinguished a blurry silhouette as if he was staring at the negative of a film…

\- You! For God Sake, let me go! She's going to die over there! You! Asshole! I will slaughter you! Let me go! I'm going to ... Kill ... I swear… Argghhh!

Rage made his sight cloudy. He bolted upright again, the veins in his neck showing. Orihime's orange hair floated in the air... He breathed out. A figure vaguely resembling Rukia crashed into the safety rail of the bridge and he immediately felt his blood freeze in his bloody veins. Dust rose in the air vertically around him. _Rukia!_ Pebbles rolled unnaturally in his direction. Was it his imagination? He grunted again with a spasm in his neck. His breathing slowed. Ichigo's head tilted harshly on his left and there was a sick cracking noise as he must have dislocated a shoulder or sprained his neck. A wave retired in the opposite direction of the current before leaving the bed of the Onose River to strike the pillars of the bridge violently. Rukia crashed in the safety rail in slow motion. Ichigo screamed in pain. Another wave hammered the bridge. His lungs on fire, he screamed until he had no voice. There was not a part of him being spared by the pain as his limbs were torn in weird angles but surely and slowly, he was rising. His organs were on fire. A terrible migraine twisted his temples to the point that he almost drooled on himself. With clenched teeth, Ichigo groaned. Who he was at that moment? He wasn't entirely sure. He had a distant memory that something like that had already happened in the past. He had already done it. _Move._ Again, and again he watched her crashed that railing. Each time, the depiction was more graphic. _Rukia!_ Sweat ran down his forehead, between his eyes, on his neck, mingling with his tears. All the veins from his face to his neck protruded under the effort. He had to protect. He was almost there. He was almost… there… _Rukia!_ _Wait for me! Orihime! Wait for me!_ Several silhouettes appeared on the bridge and the picture was becoming clearer. His eyes revulsed in horror when he thought he recognized a defeated enemy. That brought him over the edge and Ichigo groaned loudly. Blinded again, he persisted beyond his limits. He exhaled. More gravels and sands gravitated around him. _Rukia!_ Dark ink colored his left pupils and started coloring the other. His mind finally turned blank except for that vision of Rukia's body hitting the railing over and over. His chain of destiny appeared on his chest, entirely broken and eaten. It crumbled to leave a hole in his chest.

"Ichigo! Wait! Stop! Wake up!"

Ichigo staggered weakly as his mouth opened slowly searching for air… His surroundings turned critically red. Spiritual matter materialized all around him like translucent orbs.

"Fuck no! That's way too bright a morning for all of this! Sorry, my boy! That is going to hurt Daddy more than you! Bakudō #99, Kin."

Forcefully grabbed at the base of his neck, Ichigo received the strength of the strongest Bakudō spell point-blank. He crawled back face first on the floor knocking his head hard, his arms bound to his back with spiritual fabric and iron shafts. Then he felt the spellcaster's hand massaging his chest,

"Hojō Gekkō Seibutsu Doki[1]."

Ichigo started convulsing on the floor, his eyes rolling in their sockets, his pupils white, his mouth foaming as small fangs retracted. Slowly his consciousness started fading altogether.

* * *

**Isshin Kurosaki**

Doctor in his private clinic in Karakura city

Formerly retired shinigami

Father of Ichigo Kurosaki

It is only natural that your children ended up hating you growing up, for any alienated parent, it was the proof of a job well done.

* * *

Obviously, that boy being his, he didn't expect this to go easy. He knew Ichigo had some fight left in him. But when Isshin watched for a split second the world around him turned to a red inferno with supernatural orbs floating around, he knew he had to up his parenting skills a notch if he didn't want to see his morning ruined. He put his hand at the back of Ichigo's head.

"Fuck no! That's way too bright a morning for all of this! Ichigo! Sorry, my boy! That is going to hurt me more than you! Bakudō #99, Kin."

Ichigo crawled back face-first on the floor, knocking his head hard, his arms bound to his back with spiritual fabric and iron shafts. That was point-blank ruthless and agonizingly painful a move. He knew his boy could take it though.

"Hojō. Gekkō Seibutsu Doki[2]."

Isshin grabbed Ichigo's neck as some green light came out of his right palm **.** On cue, Ichigo started convulsing on the floor, his eyes rolling in their sockets, his pupils white again. He exhaled sharply before his body went numb.

Isshin immediately crouched to feel the pulse of his big idiot. He was quite worried. He hadn't used that spell in ages. There were a hundred parameters to be respected when one used Hojō. The fact he was still standing there meant that well first, he was somewhat close to be back to be his old self, and two he had all these parameters pinned down to a fault. That was as reassuring a thought as it was a worrying one. It meant that he was getting back to business as usual, back into a world he gladly left behind for the love of his life years ago. He was not comfortable with the idea. Isshin sighed, his hand casually supporting his chin. Ichigo's pulse was rather fast, his heart pumping faster, but it was nothing alarming. It was nothing that his boy could not overcome. He wiped the saliva and blood running down his boy's lips with the rest of his haori. Oh, Ichigo! Wiping bead of sweats on the side of his own face, Isshin felt suddenly very exhausted. That boy was going to be the death of him.

As soon as he had heard the blast, Isshin was out looking for his idiotic son because where there was trouble, you were sure to find Ichigo. He caught up with him at a reasonable distance from the carnage, with Ichigo ready to launch headfirst into the battle. When all the humans fled to find a nearby shelter, Ichigo would roll up his sleeves and be ready to break some Arrancars bones ... or rather be broken in two by an Arrancar.

He sighed. Ah, Masaki-chan! This reckless attitude toward life Ichigo did not inherit from him! No, he was the spitting image of his mother, red hair, big heart, and a fatal and morbid attraction to Death! He turned as if he expected his wife to answer or walk along the river after having picked up little Ichigo from his karate lesson. He would wait for them not far, on the first four steps, over there. Except he didn't on that day. He had an emergency at the clinic and was also caring for the twins. The utter feeling of powerlessness watching someone you care about risk his or her life he had known that. Watching his friends die. Witnessing the obliteration of all that he felt was sacred, he had known that. Impotence, he had known all that! He'd also known the drunkenness and loneliness of absolute power! It was not what he wanted for Ichigo even though he knew he did not really have a say. They made a choice all those years ago to create a simple normal family with children who were not born having to take responsibility for what their parents did. He swore to protect his family. It wasn't always easy. As long as Ichigo could not do it himself, he was going to be there for him. Because the best moment of his life had been when Masaki had laid eyes on him. It was very simple really.

A current of air tickled his neck. He unsheathed Engetsu very quickly and easily blocked the sharpness of his aggressor's Katana. Senka. Indeed. The apple didn't fall too far from the tree. Byakuya Kuchiki glared condescendingly in his direction. This little son of a gun!

\- Did you just use a forbidden spell among civilians? Among mortals?

What did he just say?

\- I don't know what you're talking about.

\- So, what they say is true, you have forgotten everything there is to be about being a noble.

Isshin grinned mischievously at his choice of words. Was he going to arrest him? He bet Byakuya was thinking about it. Both men looked up at the same time, feeling Yoruichi's proximity. She was fighting but he could not say who or what. She was using Shunko. He turned his head briefly in their direction. Ah, she was fighting with the Espada who had left Ichigo for dead in the Financial District ... Number six had later taught him Kisuke Urahara. Byakuya disengaged Senbonzakura and relaxed his stance.

\- So, you changed your name.

The noble noted with disdain.

\- It's more attractive to girls! Besides, it's a name that opens doors, doesn't it? We cannot all rely on our charms like you.

\- The reiatsu I just felt that was the boy, right?

\- I don't know what you're talking about, Byakuya.

Byakuya looked away without saying anything, his face a thousand miles away from the child Isshin had known. The two men turned their heads at the same time. Rukia-chan whirled in the air before unleashing one of her dances. The bridge froze for several meters, but her adversary was still moving. She twirled again, doubling her speed. She faced the onslaught of an electric lasso. How graceful! She was twirling around her target. Each blow carried more power than the previous one, the sharpness of her tiny hand as hard as a stone. Ichigo would have loved to see that!

Byakuya had trained her. Her movements were too precise and choreographed. It sported the distinct manufacture of the Kuchiki. A light breeze passed through their hairs. There were days more than others where Isshin wanted to smoke. The metal frames of the bridge growled, shaken by a new explosion. For a few seconds, Rukia disappeared from their fields of vision. He felt Byakuya's reiatsu crackle softly before the nobleman, heavy down his neck. How rude!

\- You're not in a hurry to go rescue her, it's strange. It does not seem like you. You're the protective type. The gallant type!

\- She's a Kuchiki.

Isshin smiled. That was the only explanation that Byakuya agreed to grant him, reminding him of someone he missed. The pride of a Kuchiki was passed along from generation to generation.

\- Does it make any sense, though? To just be a Kuchiki these days. Isshin noted.

Byakuya remained silent for a long before turning his attention to Ichigo's bound form. Isshin continued.

\- There is so much wonder in this world. This was my wife's favorite place.

\- You realize whatever secret you keep, you're not going to be able to keep it longer.

\- I don't know what you're talking about.

\- If I can sense that something is wrong with him, they can too. You know what will happen when they will.

\- Ah! You talk like him anyway. Like a grownup.

This captured the noble's attention again.

\- You need to work on the expression on your face. But if you start talking like him, it's a good start.

Byakuya contemplated his words shortly before taking off. He reappeared moments later, on the other side of the bridge. Senbonzakura screamed against Hierro in a reiatsu explosion. Yes, for the expression, we weren't there yet! Still, progress was progress.

Isshin lifted Ichigo on his shoulder and disappeared in his turn.

**Hidden Citizens - Für Elise (Epic Trailer Version) (Hybrid Orchestral Choral)**

In a tiny room, a light was blaring red and the distinct sound of an alarm blasted through speakers. Kirio, also known as Reiyon the Mistress of keys stopped flipping the old edition of the Seireitei news she was reading, one where Sasakibe looked young and roguishly handsome on the cover. She stared anxiously at the glaring light above the door of her office. She was overwhelmed with a dreadful feeling. She ran outside.

Reihachi, the Mistress of Dreams, was about to give to one lucky prisoner the experience of a lifetime when the ground started shaking heavily. She glanced at her monitor and frowned. The earth was shaking in the eight existential planes of the royal prison. She shunpo'd her way to the control room and pushed all the safety countermeasure buttons at once. She heard the doors locking down one by one. She checked Muken and sighed as she realized her favorite inmates were still in stasis. She looked up at her weird three-heads teddy bear toy comfortably seated on the chair in front of her control panel.

\- That was close, Shugo!

She slowly and cautiously sat down in her chair while the lights continue glaring on the walls behind her.

\- Why can't I ever be wrong? Just like I said… The end is near, Shago.

She shrugged.

\- Let's have a tea party, shall we?

Somewhere in the deep belly of an unnamed volcano, the lid of Sarcophagus slowly glides away. Grabbing the side of the stone sarcophagus with one large muscular hand, the magma immediately solidified underneath.

Not far from that, a man with white hair stopped rummaging with both hands in the chest of what looked like a dead body. He took off his glasses. As the alarm shrieked, annihilating the quiet tranquility of the place.

\- Really? Really people? I was about to find a cure to death for mortal souls. And now you wanna call me! Now… of all time! What could be an emergency? Reiichi, you're supposed to rest, man. if it's you I swear! I can't ever study in peace with these people! Damn it! Kaikoroku, what's going on?

A computer-generated voice responded with monotonously.

"Anomaly detected on the seven planes of existence."

"Origins?"

"It is believed to originate from the Protectorate of Karakura, Land of the spirits, royal crossroads, West frontier gate. Extraordinary High levels of spiritual pressure have been registered in the last half hour."

"Well, it's a crossroad. It's not highly unusual. A couple of shinigami playing cops and robbers with hollows? I don't know."

"The signature of the reiatsu registered are highlighting the unusual nature of the occurrence. Disturbances are currently occurring in 7 planes of existence. Also, I received a message saying that Reigo have been summoned in the red chamber tomorrow."

"Can you intercept all communications emanating from both Central 46 and Gotei 13? I want to know what's happening over there. Apart from this Aizen thing, it's not like Reisan told us a bunch of things. It's his dominion, right? His little kingdom."

"He has been appointed by the Spirit King himself."

"What a weird promotion to give to a spy? Anyway, let's work on this!"

A woman with silver hair is seen staring forlornly at the full moon from the terrace of her impressive castle. The earth was shaking the desertic landscape. Blanks, insignificant creatures with possibly the most unique mindset, started to disperse in utter disarray. She sighed. A red light is seen glaring on the wall behind her.

A black panther is seen lounging lazily on large boulders surrounding by the traditional settings of Japanese hot springs. The alarm blasted the speakerphone. It roared before rolling on the other side.

A tall blonde stood in front of two lavishly ornamented doors with no doorknob. He was always just in time. Or just before time. The ground started to shake heavily but he remained unphased by the whole event. The delicate stained glass trembled. The luxurious furniture skated on the floor from wall to wall. A red light flickered on the wall behind him. An alarm blared through invisible speaker. He remained there until Kirio appeared behind him.

" Can I help you?"

"Oh! The help! Great! What's your name again?"

"I think you remember my name Reijû just like I remember yours."

"That is not my name, little girl. Let's not start this day the wrong way. Your face is not familiar. Wasn't there a bulk clumsy broad individual guarding this door?"

She forced an amiable smile on her lips.

"He is gone. I'm the latest replacement. Masakira-sama."

His head tilted in her direction, and she knew he appreciated being called by his birth name. He almost smiled even though his eyes didn't emote anything. He blinked twice in her direction.

"I am Kirio. Reiyon."

He relaxed slightly.

"The fourth member of our little band of misfits. How quaint!"

"This isn't your allocated sector if I recall. So if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?"

"I was here to see my father." He said boldly, showing fangs. That was probably the closest to a real smile she would get.

She stared at him before snickering.

"I can see he was in no rush to meet with you."

His facial expression turned to stone again. He looked at her as if he was surprised; she could align two words into a sentence.

He stared at the locked door passively.

"Well, I can see that. If anything, father tend to love his toys so much and neglect his offspring. Would you believe that we have to come to him for any rushed stolen moment of affection occasionally?"

"Occasionally."

"Every couple of centuries."

"You're awake. How long have you been awake?"

He simply stared at her.

"I just know there is formally no Request registered for today. Your name is not on the list for the rest of the year. It's not on the list for the next century."

"You speak of the lists as if it abides to me. You're mortal and frail."

"Well…"

"That wasn't a question. You were a shinigami once. Your race is almost… extinct from my unique point of view."

He took one step in her direction. She flinched under his incredibly piercing gaze, her hand going for her zanpakutō. She berated herself internally as she realized he may have caught her unintentional mishaps. She gritted her teeth.

"Don't let yourself be fooled by appearances." She whispered, her heart beating fast in her chest.

"I remember your predecessor now. A good man. A brave man. I was the one… The one who killed him. You knew that, didn't you?"

She swallowed hard, trying to avoid his stare.

He laughed sardonically and the walls surrounding them were undulating with each pulsation.

"Take a step back, brother. I also advise you to take a walk after that." A deep voice resonated from the end of the gloriously long hallway. The walls undulated greedily. Each heavy step he made toward them warmed exponentially the atmosphere. Masakira stopped laughing immediately and his face remained impassive.

"You're awake." He said not a trace of merriment in his voice.

Kirio turned fearfully toward Masakira. That was probably not a question either.

"You were all making such a racket here? How can I rest?"

"I was just explaining to the help… I mean the newest recruit here that from time to time, I fancy visiting my father."

"Reiyon has been a member of the Zero squad for the past three hundred years or so. I think she knows her duty well. Isn't that right?"

"I'm trying my best, Sir."

"Sir?" He gave her a pointed look. "Charming."

"Some of us are appreciative of the devotion and loyalty you demonstrate day after day caring for this family. That is probably why Father wants to meet you so badly."

Masakira tilted his head curiously in her direction.

"Well, I usually have an impervious memory, little brother. You know how these bland faces bore me. I can easily forget. That is a bad habit of mine since sometimes even those bland faces surprise me. My bad!"

"You've never been sorry once in your life."

"Well, unlike you I don't have much to apologize for."

"We were both punished, brother."

"Yet, you're the one stricken with grief."

The shadow stopped halfway.

"Did I strike a nerve, Masahiro? Sir?"

"Emergency meeting is tomorrow at dusk. The red chamber. Do not be late, brother. As much as you want to pretend to have this close relationship with our father, I know this door will not open for you today. It never did before. Remember, only his will can open this door. The rest is just wishful thinking on your part. He doesn't want to see you."

He turned on his heels and walked away. He paused mid-stride.

"Did I strike a nerve?"

Masakira glanced a last time at the door and at his brother's departing silhouette, before walking away in the opposite direction. Kirio, who was still in front of the door, let go all at once of all the air stuck in her lungs. She needed to find a new job. Yup, she knew what she wanted to Request.

Back in Karakura, someone is seen from behind, observing the fight on the bridge of the Onose River from the distant view of the tallest skyscraper in Karakura. A sexy black girl with tall boots leaned heavily against the door.

\- Anything interesting? She asked.

The young man simply smiled. Another red light silently flickered on the desk. He simply grabbed his smartphone to immortalize the destruction of the bridge on Snap. Jackie approached and leaned on the desk next to him. They didn't need any long-range binocular to see what was happening on the bridge. They were only missing some popcorns.

\- He is awake, you know. They are all awake. Meeting is set for tomorrow.

Jackie said.

\- Shit.

It was his only comment for a while as he sat on the edge of his desk, biting his nails. She sighed.

\- Those Savages! I used to like jogging up there, Boss.

She turned to the flickering red light again. His smartphone was ringing and vibrating on the desk.

\- It's him. I think he is calling you personally. Probably to encourage you to be there. She said while leaving.

\- Well, it's not like I have the time to attend those boring stuffy tea party with these people ravaging my domain.

\- What are you gonna do about them?

He shrugged boyishly and frowned.

\- Who?

\- The people ravaging, Sir.

\- I'm going to let them, of course. Must be important if it woke up these bunch of old men upstairs.

He grinned wickedly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Hojō is a form of classification for Kidō spells that are considered prohibited and illegal in soul Society. The use of such spells will commonly result in some form of lengthy imprisonment. Those spells usually imply either a sacrifice, higher risks of collateral damage and can only be performed by extremely proficient Kidō expert. In certain case, the use of such spells could very well trigger cataclysmic events (meteorological or geological). They could impact the elements. ( fire, water, earth, air, spirit) They commonly do not have numbers as they are generally not registered. For instance, Enkeikuroryū as used in chapter 14 by Gin Ichimaru. Here, Isshin used Gekkō Seibutsu Doki, meaning Raging beast Lullaby, which is a very powerful sleeping spell, that could potentially put to sleep an entire city. But by connecting with Ichigo directly while spelling, Isshin managed to skillfully redirect the power of the spell on his son.  
> \-------------------------  
> Next chapter = Espada Masquerade


	25. Espada Mascarade

* * *

**Ulquiorra Schiffer**

4th Espada of the Arrancar Army of Aizen

Enemy of Kurosaki Ichigo

He was not good at recognizing right from wrong, substance, and form, but he easily recognized a certain redhead in the middle of the Void.

* * *

He had a limited amount of reiatsu at his disposal. The problem when someone "died" as often as he did lately was the exhaustion of a crazy amount of spiritual pressure in regeneration. Rigor Mortis had retrieved him while he was sailing in limbo, ready to pass over the next plane, since it was there the power of this creature manifested the most, his powers of regeneration had done the rest, but he was not entirely himself. He knew the odds were high that Enzo also knew and anticipated a possible betrayal.

Judging by the lack of numbers on his chest, there was a significant difference between what he had been and what he was. There was no doubt about the probability that he had the upper hand over the enemy, which came in numbers, it was almost nil. The likelihood that the three shinigami at his side could be of help, also not great. 

They simply did not measure up. He needed more time. His regeneration skills will eventually do the rest to compensate for any loss. What that primitive beast didn't know was that his regeneration skills were unmatched by any other Espadas to the point where he could regrow a limb, so eventually, not even Rigor could hold his fate into his paws. He was made that way. But Time was what he needed the most at the present.

The fight was lost in advance. To know the conclusion of an event before it even began was not something new to Ulquiorra. What was new, was the taste of defeat he felt on his tongue, the stench of failure pouring in his insides, and the infuriating sound of Enzo's taunting.

Orihime grabbed his hand forcefully. He did not understand this woman at all. For a moment, Ulquiorra thought she was trying to make sure he would continue to protect her. But she held his hand insistently. From one moment to the next, one of Aizen's arrancars was going to attack. He scanned the deck. Would he continue to protect her even knowing that all hope was futile? This was a new problematic. Did it matter that she was holding him or not?

Ulquiorra sniffed the air and his head snapped at an unbelievably odd angle as he noticed Ichigo fucking Kurosaki behind them, on the riverbanks of the Onose. He was at a damning distance maybe a kilometer or two. Still, the Espada could see with perfect clarity that Ichigo was not alone. He felt a peak of spiritual pressure that surprised him in its intensity before it vanished. He blinked. Didn't Orihime just tell him Ichigo lost his power? Orihime's grip tightened on his hand. Ulquiorra realized she hadn't noticed Ichigo and she flinched because while he was pondering Kurosaki's fate, the Primeros were making their moves.

It was then that he felt a spiritual pressure column move behind him. Rolled into a ball, Archer propelled himself towards Ulquiorra with the strength of three tanks. And before Ulquiorra could stop him, Orihime stood in front of him.

"Santen Kisshun. "

She drew a triangle shield with her hand to shelter them all. Archer crashed into the shield. Orihime screamed. Ulquiorra hugged her to cushion the impact. It was more than improbable that her powers were mature enough to stop Archer. The Primeros strained the shield, breaking it slowly but surely with the blades coming out of his body.

It was silly of the human to want to protect him. He was beginning to understand Kurosaki Ichigo. This human took in all circumstances stupid decisions and knew no strategy. Her weakness sometimes repelled him. But he could not bring himself to abandon her to her fate.

"Ulquiorra Schiffer, it's a great honor! I somehow dreamed of this!"

Archer said with the voice of a fanboy.

"You are a legend! I always wanted to fight you!"

Well, Ulquiorra had no idea who this trash was, really? Sure, he was at every meeting with Enzo but Cuatro never bothered learning about small fry. He lowered his head to the ground. He grabbed Orihime by the arm and put her behind him. Without ever letting go of the grip he had around her hip, he kicked Archer and sent him hovering several meters above the ground. He was surprised at the speed with which the Primeros recovered, trying to find an opening by standing on his unprotected flank. Previously, a strike of his foot would have knocked out an arrancars of Archer's caliber. Instead, this trash started pounding Ulquiorra's face with blows, and if he managed to dodge most of his attacks, Orihime's presence reduced greatly his ability to retaliate. A new blow grazed his cheek to the blood.

Folding his knees, he tilted the girl's weight against him and skated with her a few feet away out of reach. Caught unprepared, Orihime stifled a scream in the sleeve of his jacket. Without any mercy, Ulquiorra ruthlessly pointed at his opponent. A green ball of cero formed at its extremities and he released this destructive wave of spiritual energy less than a second later. The force of the explosion sent Archer crashing into the river. Sectioned by his Cero, the steel ropes supporting two of the bridge pillars yielded one after the other whipping the air dangerously. In a low rumble, a pillar broke in two, sinking into the mud of the river.

"Ulquiorra!"

Orihime shouted as they both toppled over, carried away by gravity.

A zanpakutō, strangely similar to his, hissed close to his left ear. Ulquiorra dodged it easily while swinging Orihime onto his right flank. Moon. She had been an important part of his plan. She was the only one whom he knew the extent of her powers. She was the Copycat. Fighting against her, was like fighting against himself, except he had Orihime as a handicap.

\- Give us the woman, see how she hinders you.

Moon's choice of words called out to Ulquiorra. Orihime may have been a handicap. But it was his. He did not need the advice of a complete trash like her. He did not need anyone to know what to do with Orihime Inoue. She was his.

The Zanpakutō brushed his face and he stepped back just in time. He did not hold his strength when he smashed his fist into the belly of the Primeros and turned it on four angles of compression, making her back down in agony. He made a quick backflip, and Orihime soared in the sky soon after. Eyes wide open, she was still hanging in the air upside down, when he broke the fake zanpakutō in half with his foot. He caught Orihime back with both hands.

\- I see. You do not intend to make my job easier. Kidnapping the human was your idea at first, Espada!

Yes, that had been his idea. When asked how best to free Aizen-Sama, he had, of course, responded with the most logical and rational response. Aizen-Sama himself had decided to make this human part of his plan B by kidnapping her the first time. Moon reforged a copy of his zanpakutō in seconds. She left in a sadistic laugh.

"Do you think maybe my power is limited to imitating what is on the surface?"

She got a limited reaction in the emerald pupils of the Espada.

" **Tosaze Murushierago**."

She transformed herself before her eyes into a creature of the night, in a form almost identical to his. Except that her look was ridiculously pink and flashy.

\- We took our own little insurance, Espada, before bringing you back to life. You're not mad, are you?

Hum! He did not foresee that in his calculation. Moon threw four javelins of green energy in his direction, he stepped back and dodged them easily. He noticed that hers did not explode with the same destructive power as his old attacks. She may have imitated his powers to perfection, but she was unable to use them properly. A new assault grazed his left flank. A scratch ... A wave of reiatsu ran in his fist when he saw a few strands of red hair hovering to the ground. He did not recognize this feeling, but he hugged Orihime harder, even crushing her if necessary. She had to stay alive because he had questions to ask. She had to stay alive ... He felt the exact moment when Archer tried to pass behind him and turned one-fifth of a second too late to dodge. He did not avoid two protuberances of the harder metal sticking out of Archer's fist. He felt his Hierro being impaled. He concentrated on accumulating as much spiritual pressure in that area to push away the blades ... But it was hardly enough. The blade plunged even deeper into his chest just below his hollow hole. Orihime's hands tightened around his face. An expression of horror in her brown eyes ... Was he scaring her?

He flipped forward. The blade sank again. Her heart was racing against him. With one hand he locked the blade in his fist and broke it. Archer made a somersault back to get away. Moon pointed at him with a sadistic smile. A wave of green cero fell on them. He stopped it with his only available hand, his other hand hadn't lessened their hold on Orihime. Only the pressure was similar to one of his weakest attacks. But at that moment it was powerful enough to threaten to bury them under the foundations of the bridge. A trickle of blood dripped down his chin. His fingers trembled under the pressure, his arm hugged Orihime harder, almost bruising on her skin. The blade near his hollow hole cut off his breathing and he was functioning with one lung.

The asphalt yielded beneath him, and he bogged down in the concrete. He didn't struggle just to dominate his attacker. He did not fight for his survival either. He fought for their survival ... Both their survival. It was new, strange, scary.

Scary.

Unpleasant.

Something touched his grip and he felt running through his veins a foreign reiatsu. He looked down and was surprised to see little fingers mingled with his. The meager reiatsu that this human-produced coursed through his veins like a rush of adrenaline. An almost orange-colored, red Cero surge came out of his hand and swept everything on the air, effectively shutting down all Moon and archer's attacks. Ulquiorra exhaled loudly, spitting a stream of bile and blood on the floor. His legs gave way, and he fell to his knees. His left lung was pierced and collapsed. The other lung was drowning in blood. Chances of survival depleted greatly especially amid battle. The little human's arms surrounded him and tried to keep him upright. Without a wince of pain, even though he was currently on the verge of passing out, he removed Archer's blade from his chest and a jet of hemoglobin watered the ground. _How unsightly!_ **The beast groaned uncontrollably.** _Trash! Trash!_ The blade fell to the ground in a metallic clatter. Ulquiorra took a deep breath, focusing on what he could of spiritual energy and gathering it in his upper torso. His breathing improved slightly. Slower than usual, the gaping wound began to regenerate. His eyes were hollowed through the whole process.

\- I'm not who I used to be anymore.

He finally said. He had regressed. He had regressed to the point of bowing down before the most pathetic attacks. Ulquiorra closed his eyes and winced. He no longer recognized the feelings that animated him. He seemed foreign to him.

However, after taking a hard look at what just happened, he realized all these feelings emanated from him ... from him alone and not from the heart.

* * *

**Orihime Inoue**

High Schoolgirl

16 years and a half

Ichigo Kurosaki's girlfriend

Promoted Heart of Ulquiorra Schiffer

She was the first astonished at the place she occupied in the universe and the perseverance with which the darkest forces wanted to take everything from her.

* * *

Orihime did not understand his real intentions until he opened a Garganta. For the duration of their journey, he had repeated to her in a monotonous tone that he could not and especially would not do anything for her when the First Arrancars, the "Primeros" would find them, which would not fail to happen since they had placed a tracker on Ulquiorra to ensure his loyalty. Orihime was undeterred since the time he bought her meant a lot already.

She did not even know where this sudden generosity came from on his part. He was giving her back her freedom? Like this? Just like that. Without asking anything in return? She was not naïve. She had lost her naivety along one of the cold corridors that connected her quarters in the Hueco Mundo to the throne room. That's why it was so hard to believe.

She had not had time to ponder his reason or his sudden change of disposition since they had arrived at the end of the road. And just arrived, they had been greeted by the neighborhood committee with little warm. On the one hand, there were the shinigami, on the other the creatures of her nightmares. They all came in number. All Orihime knew was that he could have left her there.

When Rukia approached, she feared that her friend was going to try and confront Ulquiorra. He had let go of her hand at the command of the petite Shinigami. And for a few minutes, it was enough to calm things down. But when Enzo spoke, the tension in the air picked up again. She took Ulquiorra's hand unconsciously. And when Archer attacked without warning, she protected them both behind a shield.

A few minutes later, it was the most complete chaos. Orihime was flung from side to side while Ulquiorra dodged the attacks of their enemies. His reiatsu sizzled against hers, a shock of sensation against her skin. From the tip of the index, Ulquiorra sent a wave of green Cero that projected Archer into the bay. The breath of the explosion shook Orihime who lost her balance. A sleeve of her pajamas tore while Ulquiorra held her in one hand. On the other, he stopped a pink zanpakutō similar to his. He stepped back without letting go for a second and tilted his head at the right moment to avoid the katana. Under the impact of Ulquiorra's fist, Moon gave up ground. Orihime was suddenly thrown in the air at a prodigious speed, she gasped. Her scream was stuck in her throat as she twirled in the air, her eyes tearing, she saw Ulquiorra break Moon's Zanpakutō with his foot. She did not have time to scream that he caught her easily safely back in his arms. The young redhead staggered, finding it hard getting back on her feet, but Ulquiorra kept a firm and possessive hand on her hip. He kept on propelling her forward to the point she was sure it may have looked like they were dancing.

"I see. You do not intend to make my job easier. Kidnapping the human was your idea at first, Espada!" Moon yelled.

Her heart missed a beat or two. Orihime held her breath. For a minute, Ulquiorra's hand tightened against his hip. That was his idea? Of course, who knew her powers better than him who had studied them with a magnifying glass with Aizen. Why? Moon's zanpakutō regenerated in seconds. The Primeros went off in a sadistic laugh.

"You think maybe my power is limited to imitating what is on the surface?"

She saw the smallest hint of surprise replaced the melancholy in his expression.

"Tosaze Murushierago."

She turned her head. She knew this command. She ... Ulquiorra knew it better than anyone too, that was probably why the pressure on her hip doubled to the point that she thought he would leave bruises on her. Moon turned under his eyes into a shape identical to Ulquiorra's resurrection. Without turning his head, his gaze unnaturally fell on Orihime. And it suddenly dawned on her that he may have done all of this to see her again. Maybe he didn't even know he did it for that kind of reason.

"We took our own little insurance, Espada, before bringing you back to life. You're not mad, are you?"

Moon threw four javelins of green energy in their direction. Ulquiorra avoided them easily, but a new assault brushed Orihime's hair. She watched in horror as the wind carried the burnt strands away. A wave of Reiryoku like she never felt emanating from Ulquiorra overwhelmed her. Feral. Wrath. The battle suddenly changed pace and he crushed her against his chest.

**Audiomachine - Magnus (Monolith)**

Orihime stifled a scream. He was back to pushing her around. Back and forth, she went like a mannequin. But this time, he picked up the pace of his maneuvers and her surroundings became a blur of shape or form. She realized he was using Sonido with her. It was depleting his ability to protect himself. Orihime realized he was doing all that to protect her. He glided with her, pulling her behind him, as Moon was gaining ground on him. But Orihime noticed Archer was throwing himself at them from behind. Ulquiorra stiffened against her, leaned over, propelled her into doing a backflip in front of him. He swiped places with her and as crazy as it sounded in the middle of this chaotic mess, Orihime heard when Archer pierced Ulquiorra's Hierro with his blades. His stomach tightened in shock. She felt his hand crisped on her hips.

He ... He was hurt. The blade plunged even further into his chest. He let it happen. To protect her. A scarlet puddle formed at their feet. His magnetic gaze fell on her without him moving his head. It was not devoid of emotion as usual. No, on the contrary, there was stupor mixed with a certain fatalism in his beautiful eyes. There was some ...

Fear.

She took his face in her hands. She knew there was no time for this. She had to make him come out of this dazed state, else she was going to lose him. He lost his balance, dangerously close to the ground, threatening to bring them both down in his fall. Archer put more pressure and the blade gained ground. Orihime felt her stomach contract painfully. No. No. This was not supposed to happen. Why were they after her? Why were they all bent in taking everything she had? Her parents. Sora. Ichigo. Ulquiorra. Why?! She couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't just watch everyone fade away. Her heart was beating so fast. With one hand, Ulquiorra locked the blade in his fist and pulverized it into a thousand pieces. Archer made a somersault to back away. Lifting their gaze in the same direction he had before doing so, they noticed Moon pointing a finger with a sadistic smile.

A wave of green cero fell on them. Ulquiorra stopped it with one hand. Lowering his head, his hair barely concealed the horror in his green eyes. Ulquiorra Schiffer was losing ground in this battle. With noise, parts of the bridge rose in the air. They both bogged down in asphalt. The armatures of the bridge growled again and again. He lowered his head with a sigh. His almost black blood dripped from his mouth to his neck in a long uninterrupted stream. Sweat beaded on his temples. The cero blew hot air against their faces. Ulquiorra enveloped them both with his spiritual pressure pushing the cero oscuras needed to let go of her. Orihime felt his indecision as surely as it had been her own thoughts. He needed to let go and wouldn't let go. But he couldn't push that amount of cero oscuras with just one hand. He couldn't do this, heal his wounds and shield them both with spiritual pressure. Orihime was crushed on his side. He was barely breathing. He wouldn't let go. It was currently killing him. To have to protect her. She was going to lose everything again because they wouldn't leave her this stupid unfair universe wouldn't leave her alone. Another step back as he lost leaned over almost ready to kneel down. He was going to let go. It was killing him. He was going to let go of her. He struggled with all his might to ensure both their survival. But his fingers trembled under the weight of the blast.

His arm around Orihime's hip. She felt his resolution as he opened his eyes again, resisting the urge to use both hands. He stopped breathing. He stopped all Healing process. He focused it all on repelling that blast. The asphalt gave way under them and the bridge broke across its width behind them. With tears in her eyes, Orihime changed her position and clung to him again. She leaned forward for two reasons. With one hand, she grabbed the sword and stopped his bleeding inserting two fingers in that gash. Their mixed blood formed a nearly blackish puddle on the ground. With her other hand, she hugged his wrist and let their fingers mingled together. She had… enough.

The fracture in the soil widens under their feet. Orihime took a deep breath for two and mentally focused on her power. _I reject._ _He won't die. He won't die. For everything holy in this world, I will not let another person I care about die again! I reject! I reject this! I reject this wound._ It was more than an incantation. It was like a prayer. But it wasn't working. She closed her eyes, her tears running down along her cheeks to Ulquiorra's neck. He lowered his gaze to her. This isn't fair! This isn't fair! I want to _fight back! There's no other way. I won't help Aizen! I don't care if I die now. But I've watched enough death. I've seen enough. I can't do this anymore. I want everyone to be fine. I want my friends to be okay **.** I_ _want Ulquiorra to be fine. I swear to God… For all that is holy, I don't care, take my spiritual power. Take everything you need from me but not them. Please, **I command you now**_.

Somewhere in a dark room, a small white stone on a pillow shone in the darkness, casting colorful lights on the walls, as a thousand candles lit itself one by one. Something approached the altar with a slight limp in his steps. In the dim-lit room, it leaned over the jewel and grinned showing the whitest fangs. **Granted.**

She felt more than she saw with her own eyes the power of their riposte. The blast swept everything in its path, sending Moon crashing into dark waters.

The chaos gave way to silence for a few seconds.

Ulquiorra exhaled loudly, spitting blood on the floor. He fell on his knees. Orihime did not let go. He quickly removed Archer's blade from his chest and inhaled sharply as blood filled his mouth. The blade fell back to the floor in a metallic clatter. Ulquiorra coughed again. Hemoglobin spurted out of him per liter on the floor.

"Damnit! Fucking trash! I'm not what I was anymore."

He finally said with an expression she didn't recognize. He thought he had regressed. He did not need to say anything. The Heart started decoding the Void's thoughts. He was filled all of a sudden with all these overwhelming feelings. Anger. Sense of Failure. Fear. Wrath. Territorial sense of possession. Weakness. The wave of desperation that stained his reiatsu presently made her nauseous and hopeful at the same time. Orihime stopped his frantic shaking and pacing, holding his face between her palms. She smiled looking intently.

"You came back better than before, Ulquiorra and I am glad you're here."

His face again showed signs of confusion. Worse, he even seemed offended that she calls into question his analytical skills. She was just a mere mortal. His chest started to close itself. A tear of blood oozed from his torso. There was also some blood on Orihime's neck.

"You're not the one who fought Ichigo anymore. You feel things now. Do you know what that means? It means that like Ichigo, you cannot lose."

He considered her words carefully before getting up again. Archer rushed again at him but this time it was way too personal. So, he unsheathed his sword, while doing so letting go of Orihime for a split second. The rest ... Everything happened so fast that he could only react in return. Archer bounced back and fell nimbly on his paws. But the opening was enough for Enzo. He materialized in front of Orihime with a mad grin.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = Battle Royale


	26. Battle Royale

* * *

**Rukia Kuchiki**

4th seat of the 13th division of Gotei 13

Sister of Kuchiki Byakuya

Friend of Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai

A deeper part of her thought she was never up to the task, a lesser part was brave enough to dive deep in the fray anyway, she was constantly walking a thin line in darkness, the Moon lighting her every step in the night.

* * *

Her body ruthlessly collided with the railing and Rukia jerked in pain, blood pouring from multiple gashes on her forehead. She was no longer standing. At this pace, there was no way she'd held out very long in the hands of her enemy. She was nothing but a rag doll in his hands at this point. His electric lasso wrapped around her ankle and lifted her into the air again. Her body tremored. Her jaw was clammed shut by the pain. She found out not even Shirayuki could freeze the Hierro of this Arrancar. She tried to catch her breath but was smacked headfirst on the concrete. She thought she heard her a crunching noise as her maxillary bones cracked under the blow.

\- You should give up and beg me to end your pathetic existence, shinigami.

She tried to crawl out of his way on all four as he lifted her again to smash a pillar. Oddly enough, she didn't even feel the blow as she crashed into an iron pillar and fell again on the road like a bird smashed on a truck's windshield. She felt something pushing against her own spiritual pressure, aggressively calling out to her, almost cushioning her fall when she crashed into that railing, it was familiar, yet so foreign at the same time. She needed to get back on her feet. She turned toward the banks of the Onose. Ichigo was lying on the banks oddly. His father was leaning over him and by his side ... Nii-Sama? He was staring at the bridge, no doubt. He could see that despite all his efforts, Rukia had not grown an inch. Not only him, but Ichigo's father saw it too. Maybe he was explaining to his son what was happening? Rukia staggered incoherently. She promised to save Orihime and look at her now. She bit her lower lip to stop it from shaking frankly. I had one job to do. Bring Orihime back. Stop being such a pussy, Rukia. Move. Her fist clenched Shirayuki's guard.

"Is that tears I see on those pink baby cheeks, Shinigami? Go home, little boy. You're making me waste my time!"

_"Never let your guard down, Rukia! Never let go of your sword in battle!"_

Rukia closed her eyes. She could feel the soft petals of cherry blossoms caressing softly her face as if they were real.

_"Your attacks are still a little hesitant. You have to stay firm, Rukia. Your opponent must detect no opening in you. Otherwise, you will die. It takes skills to win a fight, but above all, it requires an unwavering will."_

_"I did not want to hurt you, Nii-Sama," Byakuya answered sternly._

_"You could never hurt me even if you wanted to."_

_" And what if my opponent was stronger ... Nii-Sama? What do I do?"_

_" Then you will die and after… This is not the worst that can happen to you during a fight."_

_"Nii-Sama…"_

_"The worst that can happen to you during a fight is to lose it."_

_"Nii-Sama!"_

_"Use everything you have. Give in to the fight. Don't overthink it. A Kuchiki only needs to do what is necessary at all times even if it cost him his life. Anything necessary to win. There is no other way for a Kuchiki but the path to Victory however dangerous it can be. We have too much to lose. I would like Rukia for you to never lose a fight. That's why I train you. "_

_"Nii-sama ... All right, Nii-Sama! I won't lose!"_

_"I am going to bring her back, Ichigo, even if it's the last thing I do! Trust me!"_

Rukia gasped and opened her eyes. She inhaled sharply. She crawled in a seated position and stared at her paralyzed legs. **Move Rukia. Don't be such a wuss! Fucking move! Now!** Vultur was coming at her with a grin, walking ever so slowly toward his prey, holding his lasso in his hands. At first, Rukia couldn't move a toe. But as she focused deeply on getting back the use of her limbs, something happened. Rukia looked up to see Vultur's pace slowed down even more. A blonde woman was standing behind him dressed in the most lavished white kimono, her white katana protruding from the back of her glorious satin pink obi.

\- Shi… rayuki…

Rukia croaked, her voice hoarse and unrefined. How was this possible? Fully materialized Shirayuki smiled at Rukia gently, bending ever so slowly and gracefully as her fingers traveled her thighs, lifting the heavy material of her kimono and taking off her tabi slowly. Rukia followed her move back as she rose to her feet slowly and gracefully. Shirayuki nodded with that same smile, brandishing her katana, she unsheathed it assuming an offensive stance. _Now Rukia-chan, we are ready to go to war with you._

Rukia pivoted and assumed her similar stance, holding out her katana and its scabbard. The newfound confidence in her demeanor combined with the torrent of spiritual pressure she was unleashing suddenly, stopped Vultur dead in his tracks. She had to win this fight. A whirlwind of spiritual pressure lifted her hair and clothes. She had to win. There was no room for failure. She wasn't going to die here. She would not die before having accomplished her mission. She needed to bring Orihime back! Back to Ichigo! Now that he no longer had his power, she had to watch over his happiness. No other way out than to win. She was not going to force Nii-Sama to worry about her. She clenched her jaw. The bones she felt were moving under her skin ... was nothing. The pain she felt in her calves was nothing. No other way than the path to Victory. Her blood spraying the soil at every step was nothing.

\- This is Fourth seat Kuchiki Rukia for you, Arrancar!

She said, walking slowly towards him. Vultur lifted his lasso in the air and throwing it on his target. It missed as she sidestepped.

\- What's wrong with you, people? Why won't you die to please me!"

Vultur rushed to face Rukia. Die but never admit defeat. _Shirayuki? Are you ready?_ **_When you are, my dear. Let's end this._**

\- I'll end you, Arrancar.

\- You're in no position to talk, shinigami.

Rukia pointed at him with her open palms. Mingling intricately her fingers, she started to recite. Her reiatsu increased steeply, raising a cloud of dust, as the temperature dropped suddenly.

**Ludovico _Einaudi - Experience_**

_« Using Kido seems like nothing to you and you don't even need an incantation, Nii-sama. I wish it was like that for me."_

_"Kido was the most difficult thing to learn. I was never a proficient user growing up. I would stay after class and train… until I got tired. But it was pointless, I could barely use level 4 and none other than Gin Ichimaru bested me every time. I only understood Kido when my father died."_

_"You never talk… about that. What kind of man was he? Your father?"_

_"I looked at him the way you sometimes look at me, Rukia. With wonder, admiration… and trust. I still don't know to this day if he was deserving. I understand the question itself is irrelevant."_

_Rukia blushed. Byakuya remained unphased as if he hadn't just revealed in a rare moment of vulnerability something truly personal about himself. He picked up a glass of water and stared at it, lost in his thoughts._

_"To the young boy I was, he was the sun. He was the reason I smile. He always allowed me to be just myself. He was goofy. He made the worst joke. He also made the best gifts. He would draw for me. He berated me for having a short fuse. He really insisted I'd be more patient. He made my mother smile. He fought for us. He fought for more than honor. He was a better man than I am. Than I could ever be… You will understand if I say that I could never forgive the person who took away my… world."_

_" Nii-sama…"_

_" I was so angry… I decided I could no longer be that boy that smiles easily. I could no longer be that boy whose father died. I could no longer be a child. I put everything childish behind. I put everything I had into that belief. I trained harder. I got angrier. I was angry at the world. I'm still quite angry at the world at times. My kido skills immediately improved. Kido is not about physical strength, Rukia. It's not even that much about reiatsu. But it works the same way. It's about your will. It's about your emotions. It's like fuel… You need to think about it as you channeling your emotions and turning it into a weapon. The more you feel, the more efficient you will be. The only place you are free to let it out… is Kido. "_

_He turned to face her suddenly and it's like she was facing him for the first time. Her mouth aghast, she nodded slowly. Byakuya patted her shoulder gently, his eyes burning with intensity. His reiatsu sizzling in the air, warming the atmosphere evenly around her. She blushed as he opened his palm and white light came out of it, blowing steamy air against her face as it destroyed a line of trees immediately behind her and a part of the inner wall surrounding the property. He barely said the words. Didn't even use incantation. Rukia blinked twice in awe._

\- What's up with your reiatsu?

Rukia's face turned dark.

\- **Bones of wild beasts! Big towers, purple lights, steel wheel! If you move, the wind! If you stop, the sky!**

\- This attack will not do anything to me. Don't you understand!

\- ... **The whistling of the spears echoes in the empty fortress!** **63rd way of destruction: Raikōhō.**

He looked up yet and for a brief moment, horror and terror were there. Raikōhō fell on him with the force of a thousand lightning bolts. The Arrancar felt the electricity running through his body. It wasn't meant to hurt him. But this was enough to temporarily cancel the charge of his lassos. Before he could react, Rukia materialized behind him and put her hand on the Arrancar's back.

\- **_Hadō no nana jū san: Sōren sōkatsui_**.

Rukia's eyes widened as she felt how much energy coursed through her veins. That reiatsu? It was coming from her all along. She had it in her. A pillar of light fell on the bridge where she stood as the Kido magic sizzled in the air. Rukia Kuchiki, Fourth seat of the thirteen division under Captain Jushiro Ukitake just managed to cast a spell of this degree without incantation at full fucking power. You got that right! The blue blast hit Vultur's Hierro with full force point-blank at short intervals and it pierced him through and through. The violence of the two consecutive blasts echoed into Rukia's hand. Rukia and the Arrancar both howled in pain and staggered, overwhelmed by the shock. The left hand of the young woman disintegrated under her own eyes. To Die but to never admit defeat. Basic Hakuda finished pulling him on his knees. Without waiting for him to regenerate, Rukia stabbed his neck and back with the other hand with Shirayuki. Vultur roared with rage and jerked in agony.

\- Like I said, Primeros, I have a mission. I will save my friend and you're in my way.

With watery eyes, she stabbed him again with all her strength, spraying the blood of her enemy on her face. The katana passed right through Vultur's torso. He fell on his knees before her.

\- You whore! I will destroy you!

\- Oh, now I'm a girl!

\- I will fucking kill you! Fucking wait for it!

Rukia shoved Shirayuki again inside him with the shadow of a smile.

"Not if I destroy you first."

She pushed so hard that the blade finally broke inside him.

**\- San no Mai, Shirafune.**

The Arrancar froze as Shirayuki reforged its blade inside him, organ and Hierro be damned, crystallizing everything in its path. Shirayuki continued to gnaw his body covering each cell with a layer of ice particle. The ground beneath their feet froze stopping only a few inches from Momo and Shane's inferno. The Arrancar broke into a thousand pieces in front of her before melting on the floor. Panting, her face sweaty, Rukia smiled triumphantly. If only Ichigo could have seen it! She lowered her head to her jagged hand, which was badly burned and charred. She did not see the ground approaching at full speed and collapsed face down. The bridge sank a little more in the waters of the river. Waves came licking her feet. She closed her eyes, blissful. It was like being with Ichigo at the beach.

Rukia opened her eyes again. Her work did not stop here. Even though she was exhausted, she had to protect Ichigo's happiness no matter what. She gathered her strength to plant with her only available hand her zanpakutō in the ground. She shed several tears as she went back to her knees. The happiness of others was what a Kuchiki was protecting. Panting, Rukia staggered to regain the use of her legs. She had one hand and two legs left and she was planning to use them.

* * *

**Hinamori Momo**

Vice-Captain of the Fifth Division under the command of Suki Ichinose

It's definitely not a good day to remember the past. However, it was a good day for a firework.

* * *

Honestly, Momo could not have told anyone what happened in the first five minutes of her fight against Amarik Sovereignsowers. Her memories clashed against each other. Her memory was lacking. She had called Tobiume as soon as the fight began. This, she clearly remembered. What she did not remember was the number of times her body hit the ground. When she fell still under the blows of Amarik, her face wet, she could not help rolling at the foot of Terashima-san, even though she'd just promised not to be an embarrassment for him. He dodged last minute his enemy's scimitar with his nodachi still sealed, surely to save time and discover the flaws in Dusk Cain's technique. He dodged a particularly vicious attack and stumbled over it. Dusk took the opportunity to deliver the coup de grace. He could kill two birds with one stone. But Shane had time to roll while Hinamori was barely back on her feet. Knowing that dodging would sacrifice her, Shane stayed there, and what was to happen happened. The scimitar stabbed his abdomen.

For her part, tired of waiting for the little shinigami to fight him, Amarik grabbed Hinamori's ankle and dragged her several meters away. Suspended by the ankle, Momo swung above the floor like a clock. She crashed on the ground several times before being flung in the air again. He trapped her face in a tornado of water. For several seconds she struggled in the liquid on the verge of asphyxiation. He propelled her back against the asphalt as if she was nothing. Tobiume ricocheted further away. He lifted her again. She pointed at him with a trembling hand.

Scimitar lodged firmly in his stomach; Shane gripped the wrist of the Arrancar firmly. He put his hand on Dusk's face.

\- Motherfucker! Bitch! exclaimed the two arrancars at the same moment.

The response of the two vice-captains was unanimous.

\- **_Hadō no sanjū Ichi_** ** _:_** **Shakkahō**.

The two arrancars could not dodge the massive red blast. Amarik let go of Momo, who rolled nimbly on the ground. She caught up with her zanpakutō in the same vein. In one leap, Shane found the use of his feet again. Arrancar massaged his cheek panting.

\- Motherfucker! Motherfucker! Motherfucker!

Shane pressed his fist into his face before aiming his carotid with the edge of his hand. More than Kido, Hakuda was his area of expertise. He, therefore, had a superior strike ability even that of a vice-captain. Dusk slumped his neck halfway down the floor. Shane grabbed him for the final blow when Momo was thrown back into the air like a disarticulated doll. A ball of fire came out of Tobiume but was quickly countered by the water column that Amarik had launched after her. She passed over Terashima-san without being able to control her landing. Amarik immediately turned to Shane. He was kicked on the side and across Dusk's scimitar. His sides almost split in two. A river of blood ran from the gaping wound. Momo pushed on her legs. She appeared behind him, stopping his sharp fall. Her arms wrapped around his waist and tried to keep the vice-captain standing.

\- Terashima-san, Shane-san, don't you die on me!

Dusk and Amarik flew into the sky before projecting their cero. With one hand, Momo sketched out the first gestures of an incantation.

Without needing to tell him what she had in mind, Shane joined her. Shane wanted to save time thinking about a strategy. Momo wanted to save time to take care of him. So they came together halfway.

\- Char roaring. Spindle break. Let the light split into six! **_Bakudō no rokujū Ichi:_ Rikujōkōrō.**

Twelve piles of light arranged in stars immobilized the two arrancars.

Shane heaved a deep sigh. A new surge of blood gushed from his side, watering the ground. Momo staggered to support his weight and not to collapse with him. There was no way of laying him on the floor. They did not have the time either.

\- **_Bakudō no sanjū nana_** : **Tsuriboshi.**

A blue star-shaped net materialized behind him and held him in position while Momo tried to work on his wound. Discovering the extent of his wounds, Momo felt a new flood of tears sting her eyes and cheeks.

\- It's my fault. It's my fault! It's because I believed in him! Aizen! Why was I so stupid? Now I can't do anything properly! I am good for nothing. It's because of me that Terashima-san is hurt!

The salt of her tears streamed down her face and dripped directly on the sixth squad vice-captain and it hurt even more. Momo burst into tears without being able to stop. She activated her kido healing power. After two minutes, he straightened up despite her protests. He plunged his gigantic nodachi into the asphalt at once. Hinamori jumped.

\- Kuso, do not take it the wrong way, Hinamori-san! But I need you to shut up!

Her face illuminated by the fluorescence of the healing spell, Hinamori swallowed her tears at once.

\- I don't wear the name. But I am a Kuchiki. My mother was. My father wasn't. Even though he belonged to a lower noble class family, to their eyes, he was pretty much a street rat, you know. I just think my mother took pity on him. My station in life and everything that I have depends on the family. I belong to this family. I belong to Kuchiki-Sama. If he sees me lazing away here, whining about my fate instead of fulfilling my mission, things will get bloody soon for me. This seat is all I have. I worked hard to get it back. In other words, Hinamori-san. I do not have anything else. I am nothing else. If not the fucking vice-captain of the sixth squad."

With his thumb, he pointed to his back. Hinamori pulled back a little and gently pushed his long, bluish silverish hair to the sides. Through the rags of his torn shihakusho, she saw on his back the tattoo of the crest of the family. She swallowed hard.

\- When I was a kid, this tattoo meant only one thing: that the chances that I surpass Byakuya-Sama and that I become captain was almost nil. Let's just say that fact never made us good buddies even if we're technically cousin. It could have already signaled a bad start in life. But I waited much later to really mess things up for myself. Four years after becoming vice-captain, just two years ago, I found a way to lose one eye and five subordinates in an unsanctioned rescue mission. I woke up missing an eye, with my captain waiting for me. He told me without any bedside manners that I was too weak to be his vice-captain now and that he was demoting me to give my place to a Rukongai delinquent, a guy who is now a captain. I guess I should thank the circumstances today. Without Renji Abarai's promotion, Kuchiki-taicho would probably have approved my transfer request in the eleventh last month.

\- The eleventh division?

\- I preferred to be cannon fodder there, rather than a vulgar third seat of the Sixth Division, which rarely sees the battlefield. Clearly, I am Captain Kuchiki's last choice to replace Renji. I am not half of what I have been. I lost everything. My parents are dead. My twin sister is dead. I only have one thing left today, this job. I would like to say that what you experienced is painful. But as you can see, I'm so full of shits that I think I'm incapable of any compassion, so save your saliva.

\- Terashima-San ...

\- Hinamori, pull yourself together! We all have closets full of fucking skeletons and dead bodies. We have all been fucked over numerous times by people we trusted and people we cared about. Hell, even the universe wants most of us dead. You are young. Bad shit will happen to you when you are young and stupid. We are shinigami and living longer than humans have its disadvantages. We are soldiers. It's a war! We lose more often than we win. We kill more often than we save lives. We are Shinigami. You got tricked by Aizen. I have news for you, this is the case for all the Seireitei. You are not the exception. You are just the one who survived several murder plots. You're just a fucking good shinigami and you're resilient as fuck! So, if you don't snap out of it soon… I swear …"

He sighed.

\- Terashima-san ... please…

He clasped his hands in front of him, asking for forgiveness.

\- Subimasen, I did it again. This is all to say, can you help me, Hinamori?

Hinamori concentrated on closing his wound.

\- Help me put my foot so far up those guys' butt that they're foaming at the mouth. Please ... I ask you really nicely. I can't really do this without you.

Hinamori wiped her tears from the back of her forearm. She nodded firmly.

\- Hay! Let's do that, Terashima-San.

\- You can call me Shane or heartless bastard works too.

Hinamori giggled loudly. She nodded, picking up Tobiume with new determination. She would not look for excuses anymore. She would show the world that she was no longer a naive child! She was Hinamori Momo, vice-captain of the Fifth Division under the command of Suki Ichinose. Shane-San and Ichinose-Dono were counting on her.

Shane tilted his head left and right, warming up those muscles. He focused on his zanpakutō that was still firmly embedded in the concrete.

\- I'm sorry in advance, Seiryuto. I didn't want to bother you! I know you're going to be pissed off at me for waking you up. **Lighten my path in darkness, Seiryuto.**

A reiatsu discharge drove Hinamori back. She covered her face to protect herself from the dust. His flaming red and yellow aura behind him, a fire dragon arched before roaring.

\- You're upset! I am too!

His zanpakutō resumed its original form, its katana lost its guard. The sophisticated katana gave way to a monstrosity of the hardest metal. An embossed red dragon skirted the sharp, incandescent blade. As if the sword could breathe, flames of one meter escaped from three holes carved on the edge of its blade at regular intervals. Like a giant butcher's knife that had lost its guard in a kitchen fire, only a few strips adorned the handle. One of the stripes caught the attention of Hinamori especially because it was a floral print motif, fuchsia pink, like the precious fabric of a woman's yukata.

Seiryuto's warm breath wrapped around his face. It was the first time since Aizen ... No, it was the first time she saw a zanpakutō reflect so much of the personality of the wearer. As much as the sealed nodachi was adorned, the Shikai of Seiryuto was devoid of vanity. Like him, he was an aristocrat with a Rukongai delinquent soul.

Who would've believed that?

He picked up his huge sword to stall it against his neck. His reiatsu alone was enough to prevent the flames from licking his face too eagerly. The arrancars chose this moment to get rid of the spell. Hinamori squeezed Tobiume in her fist. Shane passed by her, with a regal air, his reiatsu radiating. She thought about what she had lost herself during the various battles. Her heart was one of the victims of course. Her friendship with Kira-Kun ... Her friendship with Shiro-chan ... Shiro-chan ... Aizen had broken her ... But ... She refused to stay down ... Hinamori refused to stay dead. She was born a fighter. She will fight. Something just occurred to her while she listened to Shane. She must have been damned important to Aizen so that he would want her dead so much. She will do what she does best. That is to say, overcome all odds and surpass all expectations in order to crush a grown man's egotistical hope.

The two arrancars appeared before Shane, one with the scimitar in his hand, the other with a column of water.

\- Tōchi byō: Kyandoru. [2]

Like a flamethrower, Seiryuto dried the Arrancar's water column and his flames licked Amarik's Hierro. He was going to counter Dusk's attack. Amarik rushed again to take the vice-captain back. Hinamori smiled weakly before disappearing. In one shunpo, she found herself behind the Arrancar. They exchanged only one glance over Amarik's shoulder. The concentrated force of Seiryuto penetrated the Hierro of this Arrancar easily. Immediately the wound was cauterized by the flames of the zanpakutō. Tobiume immediately replaced Seiryuto in the wound. The dragon growled as his master twirled him over his head in search of his second target. Amarik tried to escape in vain but Tobiume had harpooned him. Momo concentrated the maximum amount of reiatsu in this attack.

Few knew that the timid Hinamori Momo loved fire at least as much as Hitsugaya Toshiro liked ice watermelon ice cream.

\- **Tobiume, Chimei-tekina hibana**. [3]

In one shunpo, Momo disappeared. Shane disappeared at the same time. One by one the cells of the body of Arrancar boiled up. In a multicolored festival, they exploded, each detonation causing the next, each detonation more powerful than the next. Dusk was trying to get away, but an explosion threw him back. A mushroom cloud of flame rose in the air. The bridge divided in two, one part coated with snow and the other coated with fire, was held only by a single metallic rope. A few cars fell into the water. Both shinigami stepped on the ground again. Amarik was nothing but dust when Momo crossed the flame curtain. She gazed at the fire with an air close to religious contemplation. The flames danced in her eyes. The most cherished wish of Momo Hinamori at that time was to see Aizen-Sama one more time again and show him the flames of Tobiume properly. It would be the last thing Aizen Sousuke would see on earth. The flamboyant beauty of Tobiume. She was going to train hard for that.

Shane stuck his zanpakutō glowing against his neck. Dusk knelt down in front of him. While the vice-captain missed part of his right side, the Arrancar missed part of his left.

\- Kisama, Kisama, Kisama ... Who are you for crying out loud?! You're not a captain…"

Shane smiled.

\- Terashima. Shane Terashima, son of Sayon Kuchiki and Daisuke Terashima, Vice-Captain of the Sixth Division. Nevertheless alone, without backup, I am a nobody.

He pointed to Hinamori from the tip of Seiryuto.

\- Her. She is my partner. Hinamori Momo, vice-captain of the fifth division.

Dusk looked up one last time to see Momo throwing the V for victory with two fingers before Seiryuto cut off his head. It rolled on the ground before disintegrating.

Momo turned to him. The sound of the battles began to die around them. She turned to him with a victorious smile. Leaning forward to catch his breath, he raised his head to offer her a wink.

\- That's what I was talking about?! you were awesome, beautiful!

Momo lowered her head, cheeks burning. Oh yeah! Hinamori Momo was so eager to grow up!

\- Shane-San, let's show the arrancars how this is really done!

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Release command: Kaganiyotte Hikari-ro / Light a path in the darkness
> 
> [2] Second Torch: Devil candle
> 
> [3] Deadly sparkling spells  
> \-----------------  
> Next chapter: Mortal Entrechats


	27. Mortal Entrechats

* * *

**Yoruichi Shihouin**

22nd heiress of the Shihouin clan

Goddess of Shunpo. Mistress in the art of displacement.

Hakuda Expert.

Former captain of the Second division

Former commander of the Onmitsukidō.

Former Commander-in-Chief of the Correction Corps

Former Commander-in-Chief of the Military Police

So many titles she would have traded in a Heartbeat for a bowl of fresh milk and her freedom.

* * *

**You don't own me – Grace feat G-Easy**

Yoruichi Shihouin grinned like a cat who just ate a mouse. As she shunpo'ed her way through the rooftops, followed by her kohai, who didn't quit his sullen face, by the way, she was reminded of the good old days. Yoruichi knew him all too well. He was having a tiny wee bit of fun. They did grow up together after all and she could easily guess what was hidden under his poker face. The frowning of his almost imperceptible left eyebrow, the curvature of his lips, the way he was trying to stay in the lead, the way he was trying to overtake her at every turn gave it all away. Seemingly inconspicuously, Lord Kuchiki was challenging her once more to a race. If she pointed it out to him, he was sure to deny it even crossed his mind. Yoruichi, for her part, could never refuse a quick game of tag. It was practically written in her blood.

From time to time, Byakuya glanced in her direction before disappearing from her field of vision again. Their little game lasted only a few minutes ... on the edge of battle. It was all too convenient they had lost Kisuke and Suki-chan on the way. They were now on the other end of town, closing on the Onose River. A first Adjuchas barged in front of them uninvited, ending their fun chase.

Without slowing down and seemingly without drawing Senbonzakura, Byakuya got rid of him. Look at that boy showing off, flirting, as if she wasn't the one who made a man out of him centuries earlier. Yoruichi almost wanted to laugh. A second later, they were surrounded again by ten of these creatures. It was clear that one of them was going to be forced to stay behind. She could feel Rukia's reiatsu near the bridge, getting close to the source of danger, Byakuya too. That answered the question. She would do the cleaning! She was kind like that!

" We lost the other two! Kisuke, that lazy idiot!"

Byakuya said nothing. His apathetic look was deceptive. He was perfectly focused on the task, standing behind her, disposing of the hollows without breaking a sweat.

"I can handle it alone, Byakuya-Bo."

They were a dozen or so. But really Yoruichi was not impressed. She winked at her ally before realizing what had disturbed Byakuya. His back was turned, he was staring in the direction where they'd last seen Kisuke and Suki.

She froze swept over by a feeling of dread. Kisuke and Benihime ... Suki-chan. Her reiatsu was not normal at all. Her reiryoku was weak and unstable.

" She'll get there."

Without even trying to hide the nature of his concerns, Byakuya retorted.

" She does not belong here. She may as well resign."

Frowning, Yoruichi scanned the sky with concern.

" Kisuke is with her."

Byakuya found this moderately reassuring. She had only to see the imperceptible movements of his jaw. Byakuya was an open book for those who had learned to decode body language. Fortunately, she came from the same school, being born into one of the Four noble families. Most of what you had to say was done with silence. That's why she had to flee that place. She couldn't keep quiet. Peace unnerved her.

"You are worried."

He gave her no answer. And what had her most worried, believe it or not, was that he did not try to deny his concern. He was worried about ... Suki-chan? The moment did not last long enough for her to get an idea of the situation between these two.

Byakuya dodged the attack of another Adjuchas. To say he was worried was exaggerating the situation. Take Yoruichi, he knew this ex-captain was perfectly capable of fending for herself on a battlefield. She trained him for god's sake, even if he's never going to openly admit that their teenage quarrels slash childish games served that kind of purpose. He also had an idea of Kisuke Urahara's strength. No, what he felt was different. His concern flirted with mistrust. His anxiety had everything to do with the mission ... Even if his apprehension was unfounded, if his opinion of the young woman was biased and clouded his judgment, if he was now overwhelmed with unbecoming feelings of doubts so unlike him, why Yoruichi appeared just as tense? The question was on the tip of his tongue. Would he dare to ask?

" Byakuya? This is her first mission?" Yoruichi asked bluntly.

An adjuchas appeared in front of her and with a single punch with her partial armor, she disintegrated it using shunko.

"Does it make a difference?" He asked.

Yoruichi grimaced as she got rid of two more adjuchas.

"Yamamotojii-Sama is always the same. Treating us like children… Better yet treating us like toy soldiers."

"Does it make a difference?" Byakuya heard himself repeat.

She did not know what to answer.

"We'll see."

For the first time, Byakuya turned to her, his eyes locking with hers for the briefest instant. She averted his gaze deftly before annihilating another hollow. Standing away from the fray, Byakuya glared at Yoruichi's back for less than a tenth of a second before disappearing.

Yoruichi drew on one of the Hollows while knocking out the second one. Kisuke was with Suki. She had to trust the judgment of the Sotaicho of the 13th divisions. She disintegrated the third hollow with the slice of her hand. What was she supposed to say to Byakuya? He must have been too young to remember. She was not. It was just as good. She pushed again on her legs. Everything would be fine, right? For once ... All ...

She froze mid-air, extremely frustrated, just before crushing a hollow mask. Keikosuki Ichinose was not a warrior. The little girl she knew even had the war in horror. The only time this Suki-Chan had been on a battlefield ... Hum? Hello! Imminent disaster! Yoruichi did a pirouette in the air. She had not seen the young woman since her teenage days, at a time when she herself was young, wild and unruly. The circumstances of their last meeting had not been pleasant. For her and for Suki. One, because it was the last time, Yoruichi saw her father alive. Two, because it was also the last time she saw this Suki-chan alive. In fact, a few hours earlier, she was convinced that particular Suki-chan had perished in some kind of royal jail a bazillion years ago. What a shock it had been! She glanced back in Byakuya's direction. He was gone.

An adjuchas managed to dodge her attack. Yoruichi let out a frustrated grunt realizing she lacked concentration. For a brief second, she felt a mixture of extremely raw spiritual pressure. It tugged at her, down to the pit of her stomach as she flew upside down past her enemies. What's with that crazy reiatsu? She groaned. She searched her surroundings. Nothing. So many liabilities! Messy! She returned to her battle and climbed onto the shoulders of the next, twirling between her targets with divine grace. From the corner of her eye, she saw Byakuya conversing with Isshin Kurosaki, Ichigo lying face down on the ground. Did that bastard use Kido on his own son? Was that his reiatsu? She could swear it came from two different people. Did he manage to recover all his powers? Did he just use kido on his own flesh?

Good job, Isshin. This year, you're gonna make that list of "estranged parent of the year"! A list made up of Kisuke's shitty and crazy parents and of her dad. Maybe Byakuya would be game in adding his father. But honestly, Yoruichi would never do that. Her friend was a saint. He was the most decent man that ever lived and it's not his fault if he fathered a little asshole. She wanted to blame Ginrei for that. Strike that! Ginrei should make that list! Focus Yoruichi! She blinked and Isshin was alone again with Ichigo. Yoruichi was not naive. Things were going to get worse before getting better, to use Kisuke's favorite expression. They were in a heap of trouble! They were not even ready to face all these troubles! All these people didn't know how to fight a war! They were not fighters! It was far too early to think of engaging in a war and hoping to win it. The enemy did not give them a choice, it was also true. But we were talking about Aizen Sousuke and his acolytes! She did not take this affair lightly.

She was replaying her argument with Kisuke the other night after Ichigo left _._

_Yoruichi had witnessed their exchange idly. Finally, when Ichigo left, her head thrown back in utter exasperation, gathering her hair in a ponytail, she finally let out a deep sigh._

_" I think it's time, Kisuke", She solemnly exclaimed. "It seems to me that he is ready."_

_Kisuke had concealed his devious face behind a fan and was pretending to sleep, a huge bubble of saliva sticking out of his lips and nostrils. Yoruichi snorted silently, pretending to find his joke funny before elbowing him softly in the chest. Nevertheless, when it became clear that he was not pretending, his head tilting loosely to the left, her blood only turned cold and she slapped him hard._

_"Sorry, did you say something?"_

_She struggled to contain her anger._

_"You are impossible! I'm going to bed! Goodnight Tessai-san!"_

_"Goodnight, Yoruichi-san!" replied the other man._

_Arms crossed, Yoruichi walked to the bedroom. She began to fray all along the way. She got rid of the yukata that covered her usual clothes, then undid the orange shihakusho ... Kisuke was still following her yawning. He picked up after her and folded her clothes neatly. That freak!_

_"I don't follow you!" He groaned._

_"That should be my line!" Yoruichi retorted, removing her tights._

_"But it wouldn't be the first time for Yoruichi!"_

_"Oi! Kisuke! You're making me angry!"_

_"Do you want me to make you a hot bath?"_

_He arranged the pile of clothing on the dresser. Naked like a newborn, Yoruichi stretched hard. Pouf! She turned into a cat in a cloud of smoke. Kisuke turned to her with a smile._

_"I know what would please Yoruichi-sama! Kitty! Kitty!"_

_Yoruichi showed her fangs and hissed, warning him not to touch._

_"Oh, Kitty!"_

_With a clown face, Kisuke waved a plastic rattle under her nose. Yoruichi stood there, licking her paw with a condescending air. He tried a new approach and took his friend in his arms. He stroked gently. She would have liked to scratch the fool but instinct was stronger than anything in her cat form and she could not help but purr with pleasure. She absolutely adored being petted. This was the life!_

_" He's not ready yet, Yoruichi."_

_"How can you say that after all he's been through!"_

_"I know he's not ready."_

_Yoruichi grunted gruffly. His caresses doubled with tenderness._

_" I just know."_

_" You know. That's all you have to say! If he knew who he was, he could ..."_

_"Find his powers? Become even stronger!"_

_" I just want to say ... I don't think that the disappearance of Orihime is accidental. If Aizen succeeded ..."_

_"It may be less_ _accidental than coincidental in nature. Either way, I will find a definitive solution."_

_" Like what..."_

_" I will find a solution, Yoruichi! You know why we didn't tell him the truth, to begin with. Asking us to leave his son out of this is the right thing to do. If Ichigo really needed to know, he would have been informed earlier. Telling him who he is, it's like we are opening a new can of worm. He's going to ask for more. I don't have more. It's never going to end well if we open that particular door. I don't wanna go back there…"_

_"Kisuke…"_

_"That place is hell, Yoruichi."_

_"I'm sorry. I know it brings back those terrible memories and... "_

_"No, they're not simple memories, Yoruichi. They are ingrained DNA and spirit matter coding. They are computer-engineered memories. They are artificial but real. They are still proofs that there are parts of me I don't understand. At the same time, they are my whole life. If these two hadn't managed to save my life, I would still be in that jail for the crime of being created but not born. For the crime of being different. Because I was an anomaly. Ichigo is like me. He is an anomaly. What do you think will happen to him?"_

_"I… don't know."_

_" Yup, you don't know. Listen Yoruichi, I believe that after going so far, the feeling of helplessness ... Ichigo needs it. He needs it more than ever. He must estimate his limits. Otherwise, we would have on our hands a disaster even more severe than what happened with Aizen."_

_" Kisuke ..."_

_"In the meantime, I will work on finding a solution. Yoruichi-san can trust me."_

_She sighed and switch to her human form again, still lying on his lap. He continued to stroke her hair and back gently._

_" You think it's complacency on my part. One hundred years ago we were exiled. It was hopeless. And then one day ... Ichigo appeared. We are free today. So you think I got used to having this card in my sleeve ... like I got used to it because he was there and on our side…. You think I don't want to let go. You think I'm selfish and think only of myself! Do you think I don't really care about him?_

_" I think ... I think Yoruichi-san should ... take a nice warm bath with me."_

_She sneered softly at the idea._

_" Kisuke, you're a real pervert."_

_" And fortunately, it rhymes with "Yoruichi-san is naked as a worm."_

_"No, it doesn't."_

_"It could if you wanted to…"_

_Pouf! She regained her feline form and replied gruffly, manly and not at all sexy._

_" Sorry, I'm not in the mood! May I remind you that we are at war!"_

_"Oh, Yoruichi-san!" He groaned. " You know we did the best we could at the time. What I questioned is why this seems all too convenient? Us. Being exiled. Then Ichigo appearing out of nowhere with Rukia Kuchiki's powers. Aizen starting a war. The real question that keeps me up at night is why do all these events sound so heavenly convenient, no pun intended, after all, we went through? Who's behind the curtain? We don't really wanna know."_

The air sizzled around her, the sign of a powerful reiatsu nearby. She captured a new shadow out of the corner of her eye. An Espada?

He was heading straight for Ichigo and his father. Yoruichi grabbed the partially disintegrated corpse of her last Adjuchas and threw it on his way to block his way. He deviated easily but she was fast enough to catch up. They were about to crash like two asteroids on the same collision course. The blast was as expected a powerful one. Holding his fist in one hand, Yoruichi blew an annoying strand of hair away. That was close!

"Teme, bitch! Get out of my way!" Grimmjow JaeggerJack snapped.

The cloud of smoke dissipated.

"Let me guess!"

Yoruichi sighed, definitely annoyed by her hair falling into her eyes.

"You intend to destroy the world and I better get out of your way so you can ravage and pillage to your heart content. Come back to earth, Espada! Or I might have to slam some sense in that head of yours!"

" I don't give a fuck about the end of the world, bitch!"

Grimmjow retorted with a vicious left hook. He was blocked again. Easily. He was pissing her off.

" I only want Ichigo Kurosaki's head!"

He evaded and returned to it a minute later. Yoruichi dodged easily again and counter-attacked in due form.

"I see. That is a much nobler goal, no doubt. You were all born without brains or Aizen did you a special favor."

"Fuck you!"

He thought he ducked on time to evade Yoruichi's powerful punch, but before he could move she was already behind kicking the back of his head twice. Fuck! It hurts as if he'd just met with four concrete seki walls.

" Let me guess, lovely, you're one of the captains?!"

" You can't even begin to imagine…"

" I can settle for that!"

"I am delighted to be a decent consolation prize, Espada. I was waiting for this honor my entire life."

" I'm going to break that sarcastic jaw. "

" You know how to make a girl excited.

" The name is Grimmjow JaeggerJack, darling! I'm so going to end you!"

Yoruichi burst out laughing.

"You are a funny one! Show me what you got, baby! I am a rather demanding woman. Stamina is one thing but let's see if you've got skills!"

Grimmjow emerged behind her, his left leg up, ready to hit. Yoruichi raised an eyebrow when she noticed a ball of green flesh hanging on his foot. Grimmjow lowered his head and shook his foot to get rid of the dead weight. However, Nelliel Tu was rather stubborn a parasite and was holding on to his ankle for dear life.

"Teme, kiddo, let me go!"

In a symphony of plaintive meowing, Nel shook her head, clinging tightly to the Espada. Yoruichi's grin only grew wider.

Prince Charming was coming with some emotional luggage!

" Shut the fuck up! You're going to let go! Let go or I turned you into minced meat!"

"Grimmmshowww! Grimmshowwww! Ahhhhhh! Stop! Grimmshowwwwww is mean! Ahhh! If I let go, Grimmshoww will do something bad! If I let go, Grimmshow will hurt I-tsygo!"

In front of this odd scene, the former captain of the second division burst out laughing loudly. When she said earlier that this world made no fucking sense at times, she didn't even start to cover it all.

* * *

**Grimmjow JaeggerJack**

Sexta Espada

Irascible, violent, brutal and bloodthirsty, the babysitter from hell was back.

* * *

Was this bitch fucking with him? Grimmjow felt his blood make a single turn, and like molten lava, screw up everything that was left of his cold blood. He was not a quiet creature. There was in him a persistent wave that came and went, a feeling of frustration, annoyance, anger... He did not know peace. The only obstacle to releasing the pressure seemed to be Nel and really if it was only that ... He disappeared from Yoruichi's field of vision to reappear behind her. He used his opposite leg, Nel still clinging to his supporting ankle. He kicked that grinning bitch down. She could not dodge. This bitch could not avoid it. He would splay her inside out. We will see who's going to have the last laugh! Folded in half, Yoruichi spat a stream of blood in the air.

It was Grimmjow's turn to burst into a maniacal laugh.

"Huh, who's laughing now, bitch?"

Grimmjow lost his smile.

"Me."

He did not evade Yoruichi's foot, which smashed his jaw and opened his upper lip with the force of the impact. Behind him, the image of the injured Yoruichi disappeared like a smoke cloud. Grimmjow glided through the air for several meters before returning to the charge with even more ferocity.

For the space of a minute, he and Yoruichi played cat and mouse, parrying and countering at the same pace, their silhouettes, a fleeting shadow, like a debilitating optical effect in the sky. He was not naive enough to believe they were of equal speed. This chick was better. She was toying with him. Mind you, he was gonna destroy her anyway. But she was really good at melee fighting and twice as fast as him. She also packed a motherfucking mean punch. No, for now, she was just having fun with him. Maybe she was trying to save time! Maybe it was because of the girl! In any case, she was not fighting seriously. It grated on his nerves even more! She was looking down on him! Like this retarded Ichigo! Like Ulquiorra! As if that would change the outcome of this fight! He was going to annihilate and erase her from this world without even knowing her name. He did not care about her name.

He struggled vigorously but the girl did not let go. Nel held on. He promised this kid nothing! He had no idea why she clung to him so much. Everything was probably a game for that airhead. Grimmjow was made to fight. He had no other use in life. He was made to beat the living crap out of people. He didn't have a cause, he didn't need one. His unacknowledged goal was to be able to push his foot so far into the ass of Ulquiorra or Ichigo they begged for mercy! When he saw Ichigo on the ground at the foot of a guy in a shinigami uniform, he only got even more excited. Two for the price of one! It was a fucking bonus, a steal, a sale, or he didn't know anything!

He redoubled his efforts. His fists searching for their target. He could feel it under his fingers. He hit faster and stronger. Finally, he touched flesh. Yoruichi stopped him with one hand, which she squeezed to turn his wrist. Grimmjow took advantage to reach it. Sacrificing that wrist, he hit and hit blindly. Yoruichi slipped easily out of his grip a hematoma appearing on her plexus. It only fueled with more determination. He was gonna get that bitch even if he had to die trying. She counterattacked with a kick that almost knocked Grimmjow down.

He was dying to draw his zanpakutō to show this bitch how he was made off. He was dying to reveal his strength. But he was aware that if he did that, he would not avoid hurting Nel with his resurrection. He growled quietly. It was an exercise in style, wasn't it? He took it as such. Yoruichi swirled around him. He concentrated. It was not enough to be fast, he thought, grabbing the ribbon in her hair. He pulled on it to get her hold of her. He hadn't thought of a proper strategy until that moment. For a brief instant, he made sure she was not a new illusion before dragging her back to him. Yoruichi's eyes widened in surprise. He became that fast on her. Grimmjow kicked her again. She was that good of a teacher, people! They all wanted to surpass her! Yoruichi grinned. One more lesson though! With agility, she made a backflip before falling on her knees on his shoulders. The force of the impact reverberated in all his being. He spat a trickle of blood, coloring his mouth red. Head down, Yoruichi leaned on the top of his head to turn his head and move his neck in an obscene creak. He felt himself sliding into nothingness.

Feeling his inevitable defeat, Grimmjow unsheathed his zanpakutō. But it was Nel's turn to scream and her cries echoed throughout his whole being.

 **" Kishire, Pantera**."

Nel fell to the ground, her body inert, burned by the reiatsu discharge and lacerated by his claws. He exchanged a brief glance with Yoruichi who pulled away from him without a word. Between screwing that haughty bitch and ...

"Kuso ..."

Grimmjow chose to dive to the ground to catch Nel before she crashed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter=Th e art of war
> 
> \------  
> Added a couple of tags. It can't hurt. But honestly, I'm just glad I have at least one reader leaving consistent reviews. It helps a lot. I wanted to thank you for your dedication, Lamia_T. 😊😄


	28. The art of War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Actual tears in my eyes, that chapter was painful to translate, edit and rewrite. I hate it a lot but I don't want to risk getting writer's block because of it. So let's get to it!

* * *

**Suki Ichinose**

Captain of the fifth division

Former Pastry Chef of BentoBu

Daughter of the legendary "Heavenly cook"

War is a passionate drama and not an exact science, War was only about feelings, this suki had learned the hard way.

* * *

Kisuke Urahara let Suki go ahead while he lent a hand to Yoruichi who was facing an Espada. Suki-chan left in the opposite direction searching for her vice-captain. Soon, she began to distinguish the bridge or more specifically what was left of it. The battle was very advanced. Her heart sank in her chest. Hinamori danced the best she could around her target but did not avoid being punched in the concrete. Terashima-san was a step behind her, trying to protect her weak spots. Rukia-San was bravely trying to dodge the attacks of her opponent. But judging by the blood flowing down her arm, legs, and chest. She would not last long.

Suki froze as she took in the carnage. She crossed the bridge briefly before flying away again. While her subordinates, her so-called new friends risked their lives, fear ran deep solid in her veins, paralyzing her muscles. What a captain she made!

**Stand in the rain - SUPERCHICK**

**_She never slows down._ **

**_She does not know why she knows when she's all alone_ **

Suddenly, Suki raised her head. Kuchiki-sama was behind her. He moved so fast using Shunpo. She only caught his last fleeting after-image, strolling past her, before he disappeared again. She turned and turned, and found him again, far down the bridge. She watched as he fought his opponent with all his might. His reiatsu bubbling against hers even more than usual, wrapping itself around her. She felt pitiful indeed. She had to disappoint him. She had to… She shook her head stubbornly. Of course not ... He was the only one to have seen this coming from the start. He saw the green monster inside her. A monster of cowardice.

And she was about to disappear into a shunpo, leaving them to their fate, thinking they were faring better without her, thinking foolishly she was doing all them a favor when heavy hands grabbed her from behind. She swung a moment in the air before being propelled forward. She crashed into the bridge's last safety barrier and fell all the way down, scraping the ground with her body until the river swallowed her whole. Suki did not have time to struggle in the water as the enemy picked her up by her undone ponytail. A scream escaped her throat. She inhaled and swallowed water. He kicked her forward with force. She managed to stabilize herself in mid-air. On all fours, Suki found a way to slow her fall by condensing her spiritual pressure beneath her. Panting, she spat out a mouthful of water. The Arrancar was on her again. At that moment, the blood mixed with her tears ... with her fears and her anxieties made her blind. Barruk's muscular fist collided again with her once charming face. She jerked in pain at the shock. That hurts in every part of her body!

" Pretty shinigami!" Barruk said in his monotone voice. "Will you give me a kiss when I'm done breaking you?"

With trembling fingers, Keikosuki found her fan still firmly stuck in her Obi. Without needing to call it her zanpakutō turn to its original form. But Barruk was moving too fast. Her fan only smacked the air, a tornado pushing in every direction.

She whirled again, trying to side-step at every turn. But bleeding like she was, teary like she was, most of the fight went by in a blur. She snapped the tessen open, sending a tornado in his direction.

While the tornado followed Barruck, she thought she had time to run.

"This is Captain Ichinose to Headquarters. I repeat again! We're under attack here! Karakura is under attack. Please send some help!" She screamed into her bracelet.

Clawed paws closed around her neck. Barruk lifted her into the air, tightening his grip.

" I want to put you in a cage, pretty Shinigami."

With her mouth half-open, Suki gasped for oxygen. She struggled against the force that wanted to close her eyelids.

"Tell me your name and I will sing you a lullaby!"

While that monster was strangling her, his other hand ventured under Suki's Kimono. Green eyes widened in panic. She realized she couldn't even scream. _Stop. Stop._

"You are so pretty. I just want to eat you raw. Will you let me do that?"

Kuchiki-Sama's reiatsu weighed on the back of her neck as if to wake her up. But right now, it wasn't helping. She expected to see the captain of the sixth division materialize in front of her any minute now. But he did not come. Deprived of oxygen, she could hardly hope to resist any longer. Did she even want to try?

_"Yamamoto-Sensei, I cannot take it anymore. "_

_The old man did not turn around. He continued to prepare his tea just as calmly. While his lieutenant kneeled elegantly putting down a plate of biscuits._

_"As long as Natsuki-san does not say she cannot take it anymore, you will not stop the exercise, Keikosuki. "_

_Keikosuki continued training but her heart was definitely no longer in it. For as long as she remembered she'd always hated these never-ending training sessions. It was torture. The girl clumsily scratched her nose. While her sister Natsuki-chan continued to plunge a 'barely-a-ton' cannonball in a cauldron of boiling water, Keiko watched the clouds. Instead of dipping the ball like her sister, she found out she could just leave her hand in the cauldron and it was very much the same. Nobody cares what happened to that stupid heavy ball. Oh! There were thousands of pillowy clouds in the sky. Every one of them had a different shape and size... If only she could count all of them ... Oh ! Flying Ducks! So many ducks! Did they force the baby ducks to learn how to fly? Even if they don't want to? She rubbed the inside of a nose absentmindedly. A tin can bang her forehead, opening her brow at once. She whirled in the direction of Yamamoto. What did he do that for? Was he crazy? He could have scarred her for life. It was the face of a future beautiful lady he almost ruined. She was about to remind him she wanted to get married to a rich prince one day when Natsuki cleared her throat, stopping her. Suki was going to get them punished if she continued her little rebellion. Keikosuki sighed, gritting her teeth. Mark her words, one day, this Keikosuki will dance on the grave of this old man._

_"Dancing on my grave! You! Of all the Suki-chans! As if one day the sky won't be blue, Keikosuki Ichinose! "_

_Yamamoto burst out laughing, stroking his beard, then just as gracefully as Keikosuki earlier rubbing the inside of his fat nose._

_" My dear, you were born just two thousand years too soon. "_

_"Nian ! Nian! Nian !" Keiko mewled childishly._

_He could say what he wanted. This was so unfair._

_"This is not fair! That's because everyone loves Natsuki -chan! Natsuki-chan hates me, Sensei! She does this to me on purpose because she knows it hurts me!"_

_She moaned._

_Natsuki, who had always sworn not to hurt a living being if she can help it, kicked her little sister in the butt with all her strength. That idiot! Keikosuki was an exception. They said all Ichinose-Sama's daughters were graceful, she was not. All the girls of Ichinose-Sama were said to be accomplished and admirable. She could not cook an egg without burning the kitchen. We're not even gonna talk about her singing ability. She was so lazy that it was too easy and boring to make fun of her laziness. She could spend her days counting the clouds in the sky. Who else could have had such a weird hobby?! She was the exception._

_"I can't believe you said that, Keiko-chan? I never hated you. "_

_Keiko burst into tears. She could make her lips tremble pitifully and big crystalline tears would appear at will. It looked terribly realistic like a child being tortured._

_"I'm hungry and you force me to train like an old monk. I have almost no strength left in my arms. I feel weak. I'm gonna faint soon. You don't care. You only want me to be in pain all the time. You're on his side. "_

_"I gave you half of my rice cake earlier. "_

_"Only half! You eat that other slice with glee, stuffing your cheeks with it. Don't think I didn't see you! You're the worst! It meant that your love is also split in two. I usually put up with it. But here I'm starving. I'm probably dying as we speak. Because of you!"_

_"Keiko! Shut up, you'll irritate Sensei! You're so annoying!"_

_" I don't care! You're the one going overboard! Forcing me to lift stupid weights! It was clear from the start that I had no chance against the great Natsuki. Natsuki is so great at everything she does! She wants to show sensei, she is the greatest! She doesn't care that she is killing me here! "_

_The blonde sighed and stopped her task, her arm bloody red ... Three strands of black hair fell back on her face, blown by the breeze._

_Suki jumped away, her hand raised in victory._

_"Yes! Natsuki is finished, Sensei! We're going home! Bye! "_

_Natsuki sighed. She caught Suki easily and tied her to the cauldron with a kido line._

_"You'll stay here, you stupid monkey! "_

_"Sensei, Natsuki just used a Kido spell to bind me to the cauldron! It burns! It burns Suki. Help me! She's not allowed to do that! She calls me names too! She called me a monkey! Tell her she can't do that! I'm so sad!"_

_Yamamoto looked up at the two girls._

_"Natsuki-Chan, that's fine. You progress quickly and you show initiatives. You will make a very good officer later. "_

_Her golden ponytail stirred like a corkscrew, the blonde blushes under the compliments. Attached to the cauldron, Keikosuki's sobs doubled. Vice-Captain Sasakibe stood up about to go console the poor girl. He had a particular soft spot for children and he couldn't bear seeing them get hurt. But halfway, he stopped in his tracks noticing that although she was practically stuck to the bubbling steaming hot cauldron, the little girl's arm and back showed no marks at all. Keikosuki was crying but he doubted the sincerity of her tears. She did not look one bit hurt. She even stopped crying for a whole minute to scratch her sweaty forehead with pudgy fingers. She had no reaction when Natsuki forced her to plunge her fingers back into the cauldron. However, when Keikosuki felt watched, she strategically started crying again. He turned toward his captain._

_"Sotaicho, she ... she does not feel the heat of Ryujinjakka. "_

_" You finally noticed?" Yamamoto replied, sipping his cup of tea._

_" How is it possible? Natsuki-Chan's arm is ... It's almost... She's got Third-degree burnt.."_

_"This one is a fighter. Our friend is always hiding jewels. His girls are uncommonly strong. You will take Nat-chan afterward to see Unohana just to be safe. As for Keiko-chan, It's her spiritual pressure. Keikosuki's reiatsu surpasses all her sisters. It currently surpasses that of a captain right now. That's why I asked that she'd be transferred in the newly created advanced class."_

_"How is that possible? I've only seen that in one other child before. This one barely looked old enough to learn how to read kanji."_

_"Well, she is no ordinary child as it seemed. Her story is quite peculiar."_

_"You are quite serious about this… The academy is no place for children like her though."_

_"When you say children you mean girls…"_

_"No… Well…"_

_"You didn't seem that affected when Ichimaru got in."_

_"That kid is odd. He gives me chills. His reiatsu is some kind of a joke too."_

_"Well…"_

_" Alright, I can do something about my prejudice. But I'm not sure this is the right thing."_

_" It's not wrong at least. Her father agrees with me. All his girls are spoilt to no end but this one is his favorite. I think. He would do anything for her. Even entrusting me to teach her …"_

_"If only she was just a bit more dedicated. It's like she is not aware of her own strength." Sasakibe commented._

_Yamamoto nodded before biting into his pipe._

_"It's so sad. Natsuki-chan is so humble and hardworking. She would be the perfect candidate. "_

_"But Keikosuki is gifted. It makes all the difference. "_

_Yamamoto pulled on his pipe._

_"It's enough Natsuki. Free your sister. You're done for today. "_

_"But I can still continue Sensei! "_

_"She knows ..." Sasakibe whispered, watching the blonde stubbornly trying to focus so her reiatsu could not burn her like Suki. Meanwhile, her sister was performing her task without energy and enthusiasm, a hand behind her back. She lifted again the ball effortless and yawned loudly afterward._

_Yamamoto nodded._

_"Come and have tea, both of you! Your father brought some cakes. "_

_In one magic leap, Keiko was kneeling in front of Yama-jii. The old general patted her head with a comical grin. Natsuki remained frozen on the spot. Keikosuki, thirty years younger, considered a baby by most people around her, just freed herself from an immobilization Kido spell of the 8th level. Natsuki knelt slowly next to her sister who was busy swallowing a string of almond biscuits in one gulp and sucking her fingertips in utter delight._

_"Suki-Chan?" The brunette said, her mouth full._

_"Yes, Suki-chan! "Murmured the blonde._

_"Shall we go see the fireworks tonight?! I love the fireworks!"_

_Natsuki nodded quickly, scrubbing her damaged arm. Yamamoto watched the two girls with a wicked nod and Sasakibe stood up to take Natsuki to Unohana._

**Darkness ... The darkness enveloped her quickly.**

_"You ran away from your Kido class during the examination! Are you insane? "_

_"There were five real hollows. These people are monsters to force us to fight these things. I am not even old enough to drink sake or get married. I have some news for you, I don't like it here. They are even worse than Yamamoto Sensei. Yuck! "_

_"Keikosuki ... you're my darling sister. But Suki, you cannot just drop everything as soon as you feel like you're going to lose. You cannot run away from the enemy because you are afraid of suffering. You cannot pretend to love because you cannot protect. Being a shinigami is much harder than that."_

_"Who said I wanted to be a shinigami? Father, Sensei and you, you put this idea in your thick heads that I wanted to become a shinigami. But in fact, I ... want nothing ... like that."_

_"No more word! You are so selfish! "_

_"You don't really think so, do you Suki-chan?! You don't really mean it. You only said that to make me sad. "_

_" Yes, I think so! It's not fair that he likes you more than all of us! It's not fair that you were born this way! You were made this way! I don't know! You don't deserve to have this gift! It's not fair! You only think of yourself! And sometimes I hate you for that, Keikosuki! "_

**Natsuki disappeared in a cloud of black ink.**

_Her bare feet echoed on the floor. She crossed the corridors of the castle._

_"Natsuki ... Natsuki-chan? Where is Natsuki-chan? "_

_Cleosuki stood in front of her._

_"She is gone. I'm sorry, Suki! When you were asleep, our sister… She tried to wake you up. She really tried. And now, she is gone. "_

_"Natsukiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! No!"_

**She had to go back in time. Yes, go back in time.**

_The lips she had enjoyed kissing were tainted with blood. She took his head on her lap. She made a mistake and it was too late._

_"Father, I beg you. "She pleaded._

_"Do not get in the way, Keikosuki. Tadashi said._

_She lowered her head, her face tearing. Eyes closed, she kissed his lips. The boy she loved interrupted the kiss pushing her away. She saw him regain the use of his legs and when she tried to grab one of his legs to prevent him from getting back there, Senhau's cold, sharp blade, his zanpakutō, stroked her throat. She was face to face with yellow eyes filled with hatred._

_"Did you not hear your father?! Don't get in our way, Suki-chan! "_

_His powerful reiatsu asphyxiated her. She remained paralyzed, her muscles soft. He turned her back on her, his black hair, swept by the wind._

_"Have you ever loved me? "_

_He didn't turn back._

_"Suki-chan, look around you! "_

_All around her. War. Death. Every bad thing in between. All around them, there were duels. Men fighting against Men. Before her, Death was disguised in a black shinigami uniform._

_"Which answer would really please you, Suki ?! "_

_Without turning back, he rushed back to his destiny. The horror she felt seizing her young heart. Something terrible happened to this Suki-chan…_

_At that moment in time…_

_She was young and naïve…_

_She fell in love…_

_She thought that was love…_

_She believed his lies…_

_She did the unthinkable…_

_She dishonored her family…_

_She betrayed everyone…_

_She did the unthinkable…_

_She died on the battlefield. That heartbeat. That last heartbeat she heard that day. She kept on screaming in despair. But that last heartbeat was as loud as her scream, it resonated in her chest as heavily as if it was her own. She was a young girl then. A Rebellious teenager. She kept screaming for it to stop. Those fights… They all needed to stop. And it stopped at last. There were only her screams then. She felt her voice died down when her father cut the life of her first lover short with a sharp blow. A tsunami of spiritual pressure pushed her backgrounds and she flew into the air like a rag doll and crashed loudly. Her heart missed a bit. Silence. It was all quiet at last. She remained there prostrated in a fetal position as the rain started to fall._

_The boy she loves fell down face down in the mud._

Barruk released Suki's body in the river. She sank deeply in the cold water. She did not have the strength to do anything else. She could only seek deeper into an ocean of despair.

**So stand in the rain**

**Stand your ground**

_"I'm hurting again. Ne, Persephone, what happened to me? "_

_"You loved him too much. That romance was only in your head. You are an idiot. Three answers always seem to be better than one in your case. "_

_"Will it ever get better? "_

_"What's your favorite dish, Suki-chan? "_

_"I don't know. My answer has not changed. "_

_"Why do you think that is? "_

_"Well, there are so many things I love, Persephone. "_

_"Idiot, you love so much and at the same time, you cannot protect ONE thing you love. Just One Thing... "_

_"Persephone? What's your favorite dish? "_

"Nabe oden with mushrooms ... Udon… Your tears ... Oh! Oh! your fear is so delicious! "

**Gleaming reptilian fangs showed in the darkness as the creature hissed softly.**

"Three answers for one."

"I guess we are very much alike, Little Suki."

"I know that's why you're my only real friend. Will you Help? It hurts."

"It does not work like that, Baka! How long will you continue to pretend to be this clueless! "

**One scary side of the Komodo dragon's face came into the light.**

Barruk prepared to bury the captain of the Fifth Division in her underwater coffin with a cero strike.

" _Terashima-san, Shane, don't die. "_

_"I have to protect Ichigo's happiness."_

_"Do Something Keikosuki? Wake up. I swear if you slack off, I will kill you myself."_

Suki opened her eyes in the dark water, feeling the weight of his spiritual power. But it was all in her mind, it wasn't his. It was hers. She looked around for her Zanpakutō which was floating down.

**Its large tail flickered in the water as it swam beneath her feet fast. Barruk frowned as he caught the gigantic shadow despite his attitude. It was the size of a prehistoric monster. What was that?**

"Ne, Persephone? I still don't know what I like! "

"The opposite would have surprised me, you idiot! "

"I'm scared all the time. I don't want to be here. But she trusts me! You said you will always help… I have a mission now. I have to protect everyone. I am a captain. "

The creature snickered sarcastically, showing his impressive set of fangs.

"No need to ask! As long as you cook to your heart's contents, I will eat anything you serve, Little Suki. Do your best!"

"Persephone…"

" I am your friend, I am your broken heart, I am ... your instrument of vengeance. **I AM STARVING**."

She opened her eyes as her feet touched the riverbed. Launching at her like a torpedo, the dragon swallowed her whole and swam with her to the surface. At least, that's what she thought happened. A wave of cero fell on the Onose River but instead of digging a crater and drying up the river, the scarlet energy was absorbed by a giant fan spiraling in the air. Barruk blinked in confusion. The fan approached the surface at full speed. Suki emerged from under the depths, gasping for air.

" Captain Ichinose!"

Panting, Suki turned toward Hinamori. The metal frames of the bridge growled again. Behind her vice-captain, there was a beautiful fire of several meters. She always liked fireworks. It almost put tears in her eyes, it was so beautiful.

"Hinamori, you are too close. Close your eyes now!"

Hinamori frowned. But Suki waved her away.

"You think you stand a chance against me! I like it better when you called for help earlier."

She turned toward Barruk.

"I don't want to hurt anybody. I am so sorry. He is my friend. He is the only one that helps."She whispered.

Barruk erupted in laughter.

"It's okay…Suki-chan."She told herself." it's just a bite. I will let you have a bite now. A small one… Please, be nice. **Saisho no shokuji; Tenshi no Kisumāku** 1"

A large shadow appeared in the bubbling water.

* * *

**Byakuya Kuchiki**

Captain of the sixth division

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Son of Soujun and Sakura Kuchiki

For him, a name was the most precious possession of a man, so he felt pity for Isshin Kurosaki, not knowing Isshin pitied the kid that didn't remember his father.

* * *

It was well known that Kuchiki Byakuya had a barely veiled disdain for some beings. He had no mercy, for example, on fallen nobles like Ganju Shiba or people who broke the rules like Ichigo at his feet. Isshin Kurosaki, on his own, represented all he thought was wrong with Soul Society, where someone's selfishness would bring a string of misery and misfortune to others. Their Katana crossed, he only met with slight resistance. He thought that meant Isshin's powers were not fully restored.

**Linkin Park - Numb for cello and piano (COVER)**

"You changed your name." The noble noted.

Byakuya made a characteristic sneer, but if only he could roll his eyes.

"Kurosaki, It's more popular with girls! You're a big boy now! You should try it!"

Byakuya looked away without saying anything, even if he was boiling inside. For a few seconds, he had thought that Kurosaki was going to reward him with one of his usual stupid grin which had irritated Byakuya from the cradle. This man before him was in part responsible for his bad temper. He looked up in direction of the bridge. Yoruichi was dancing in the air nearby, surrounded by four adjuchas. Yes, he owed it to all these people, hiding stupid secrets, challenging established rules, living their stupid selfish lives.

Byakuya had lost sight of the Demon Woman and Urahara shortly after leaving home. It was a lot to say. She was all around him. Her reiatsu pushing against his ... Her heavy perfume in the air ... Even her senseless fear was contaminating him ... He could sense her every move just like he could Rukia's.

Rukia soared in the air before unleashing one of her dances, Juhaku. The bridge froze for several meters, but her adversary was still moving. She twirled again, doubling speed, facing off the onslaught of her electric lasso. Graceful! She moved quickly and precisely around her target. Each blow carried more power than the previous one, the edge of her tiny hand as hard as stone. He had trained her for that. A light breeze blew his hair in his face. The metal frames of the bridge growled, shaken by a new explosion. For a few seconds, Rukia disappeared from his field of vision. Byakuya swallowed hard, his face still austere.

"You're not in a hurry to go rescue her, it's strange."

Isshin had been a father for less than two decades and he was already thinking of giving lessons to one Byakuya Kuchiki. Ridiculous, he would have just as well accepted the advice of a monkey or his imbecile red-haired son that behave just like a trained monkey.

"She is a Kuchiki."

Rukia was a soldier. She was a full-fledged shinigami. It was useless to diminish her strength. That would only push her to put herself in even more danger trying to prove herself. Moreover, she was far from having exhausting all her resources. Like he said, he could feel her reiatsu in the air as surely as he could feel Keikosuki's. Ichinose's reiatsu was the only one currently causing some concern. That woman was always there to challenge him somehow, it's like she was having fun deceiving his expectations. Rukia fell again. He could not prevent the reiatsu from flowing from him like a river, the first signs of his anger.

"You talk like him anyway."

Hum? It had the merit of stopping the raging flow of his thoughts.

"For the expression on your face, there is still work to do. But if you start talking like him, it's a good start!"

Byakuya groaned inwardly before disappearing. What a waste of space, that Isshin! He should have known that nothing good ever came out of a Kurosaki's mouth. The next moment, he materialized in front of the leader who was holding Rukia's friend by the arm. Stepping forward, he knocked her out of his reach, and pulled her away and his Katana sliced into flesh, only to realize that it was just an illusion and that the Primeros had passed behind him. He let go of Orihime immediately and she inadvertently fell back into the hands of another Primeros, Moon Darthcross. Enzo was directly targeting him but Byakuya easily countered the latter's attack. He was fast nonetheless. Byakuya used and abused of Shunpo. But every time he stood in front of Enzo, the Primeros found a way to disappear. Was he much faster? No, Byakuya thought. He did not feel like he was displacing in the air. It was as if something was hindering his own movement. He ... as if time was physically clinging to him.

"Oh, who is doing me the honor?

Enzo spread his arms with a yellow toothy grin. Finally, Rukia killed her assailant. A knot loosened in his spiritual pressure, and Byakuya disappeared to reappear behind Enzo. But Enzo was a better fighter than he appeared and simply evaded agilely.

" According to the Haori, I'd say I'm facing the captain of the sixth division? If my memories are correct, you must also be a Kuchiki leader."

Byakuya frowned. Enzo leaned forward with amusement. Byakuya counter-attacked immediately. Enzo escaped again.

" Chire, Senbonzakura."

Multiple sharp leaves floated in the air in search of their target. But he felt the same resistance in the air as before. There were a few things that slowed down Senbonzakura ... Suki Ichinose's reiatsu faltered before him. The kid in him wanted to stop everything he was doing to lock eyes with that stupid girl. He focused on Enzo again. Byakuya sealed his zanpakutō again to trigger his Bankai.

Finally, releasing Senbonzakura's guard, he guided his zanpakutō with his hand.

" Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

" I have already dealt with one Kuchiki in my lifetime. You look like the second. Are you the son of Sojun?"

He frowned. He didn't care for small talk. Talking about his dead father won't destabilize him one bit. If this trash knew about his father, so what? Suki Ichinose fell back into the Onose River and sank. Byakuya pivoted at once, losing his bet. What happened to her? Enzo passed behind him. Byakuya used Shunpo but again something was slowing down his every move. He didn't seem to care. His heart beating frantically in his chest. _What was she doing? Do Something Keikosuki? Wake up. I swear if you slack off, I will kill you myself._

He parried and pushed back, evading instead of attacking, waiting for Suki to emerge from the water. He could feel her reiatsu waning like a candle on its end in the night. When it was starting to become clear she was not going to rise from the surface without a bit of help. He tried to run to her but the Primeros was on his way.

"You guys, you're not too polite, are you? The shinigami with my brother Barruk is an acquaintance of yours?" Enzo asked kindly.

" Your brother ?" Byakuya asked for the first time.

"I cannot deny this sense of kinship," Enzo answered with a new reference. "There are unbreakable bonds even in death. Guess who taught me that?"

Not even waiting for Enzo to finish his sentence, Byakuya launched Senbonzakura at him. Enzo emerged unscathed from the cloud of pink blades. Senbonzakura followed him. His Hierro was truly unpenetrable.

" Are you really Soujun Kuchiki's son? But you have one of those ugly boring expressions! You even make this fight boring! Don't worry, your girl's not going to suffer for long, little prince? She is about to die."

Byakuya blinked in surprise not at his choice of words, but at his audacity. Enzo disappeared again. This time Byakuya saw him move. As incredible as it may sound, it was when he gave him his back, that he really started to see that creature move. He realized. Enzo was not faster. Whenever Senbonzakura attacked, he would manipulate his spear in a clockwise direction. Senbonzakura recoiled. Time. He manipulated time with his zanpakutō.

"You finally understood? The answer is yes. I do have a resurrection. See, I'm special!"

Enzo moved in a blur again and whirled the spear in front of him.

" You finally understood why you were going to lose, Kuchiki. Nothing stops Time."

Byakuya avoided the spear.

" **Kōin yanogotoshi, Jikanakum** a."

With a Maniacal grin, he slammed his three-pointed Kobudo on Byakuya. Senbonzakura blamed the blow. Byakuya stepped back.

" It's not about having a bankai. It's about having the right technique.

His reiatsu sizzled evenly. Suki. She was alive. Her reiatsu was becoming stronger. Achieving this realization cost him a few seconds of attention. The tip of the spear tried to unhook his scarf and part of the scarf floated to the tattered ground. He placed both hands in front of him and Senbonzakura followed trying to shield him. Suki was fighting again. Gusts of spiritual pressure enveloped him and her perfume reached him. The wave of reiatsu swept the bridge and waved the cut cables in the air. The bridge was sinking.

Byakuya ducked after the fact. And after having parried a dozen attacks, he decided to use Kido. But whatever spell he used against this asshole, it was defeated in seconds and rendered null.

"You're not focused, little prince! It pains me!"

Enzo chuckled. It was time to finish. Enzo twirled around him before stabbing him.

"Let me show you the power of my zanpakutō, little prince!"

Impaled on the spear, immobilized by the enemy, Byakuya took the opportunity to direct **S** **enbonzakura** on Enzo. The collision of spiritual power was monumental and the part of the bridge under them collapsed completely in the water.

"Let's see which of our zanpakutō is stronger. **Jikan kanshō."**

Time stopped. In the giant hourglass of life, the grains of sand stopped flowing. A child's laugh. The timeline opened before him in multiple directions. Behind Byakuya, there was only one road. It took him a while to understand that that road seemed to stop here.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] First course: Angels' lovebites
> 
> [2]Tempus Fugit, Jikanakuma
> 
> Next chapter = Yellow Gates


	29. Yellow Gates

* * *

**Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryūsai**

Captain of the first division

Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13

Real strength didn't come from brute force, that was for sure. Real Strength was watching Death trying to steal everything one possessed and laugh back in its face. Needless to say, he was rather good at it.

* * *

Back in Soul Society, Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryūsai sat with Sasakibe by his side, in shiny metallic green chairs, in the newly created CCC, Gotei 13's Control Command Center, situated in the basement of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. Everything was sparkly modern having been inaugurated fairly recently, and every tech officers working there were elite soldiers coming from every division in the Gotei.

It had been Sasakibe's idea to be fair. But Yamamoto had embraced it as soon as he heard it, the idea was to centralize all commands and supervise fully the tactical teams deployed on fields in live. Before, the task was delegated to whatever division was assigned to the mission with pretty poor results on coordination front, swift appropriate measures of reaction and dedicated tactical units response. Now with all the state-of-the-art surveillance equipment at his disposal, he could follow all his units while they were deployed on the field and make in real-time better decisions.

"Ichinose is folding. Something like this was bound to happen. She has never proved herself in combat. " Sasakibe said, frowning.

This was his polite way of saying I told you so, Yamamoto knew. But he was a little busy following all the combats in Karakura on the HD flatscreens mounted on the wall. And notwithstanding the bloodshed, he was pretty pleased with his troops. Their reaction time had been vastly improved. They were all invested in their mission. Even if they had overly underestimated their enemy, and they were currently losing ground, he didn't find it that bad.

Rukia Kuchiki had been a surprise. He underestimated her. She vastly improved over the past months and he needed to have a talk with Jūshirō. She wasn't meant to be a barely seated officer. She was lieutenant material. Moping and Mourning that Shiba kid was no longer a good enough reason to keep that girl from getting her due reward.

He asked Kokito Jumi, the seventh seat of the tenth division, to switch on Rukia again. Before he attended to anything else, he needed to see that fight evolved.

" You still think she has a chance to win this, Captain-Commander."

Yamamoto grimaced slightly as he picked up his teacup. His loyal lieutenant's nagging voice was threatening to ruin the moment. He soon was back to be engrossed in the little Kuchiki fight. Oh brilliant! He smiled as Rukia used a double kido threat to weaken the Hierro of the Arrancar. He didn't even need to raise her limitations completely. He ordered earlier that their limitations should be only raised to 30%. He wondered if she realized. If they all realized.

"She's asking for help."

Ignoring Sasakibe again, Yamamoto smiled wide. Ooh! Yeah! She got him at last. Rukia, that is. He is not gonna lie. The girl never inspired much in him. She was the cause of a headache when she transferred her power to Kurosaki Ichigo. Before that, she was only known to him as Kuchiki Byakuya's charity case, the girl who looked like his dead wife. Despite the fact he found her to be too close for comfort with the ryokan, he genuinely found her very promising. She was evolving fast.

He turned to Hanatarō Yamada who was the medical expert in his tactical unit response.

" Yamada, I need your expertise on the situation. Is it possible Kuchiki's hand could become problematic?"

Startled out of his naturally dazed state, Yamada jerked back immediately.

"Huh… Yeah… Who… Not who… Well… "

He blinked twice.

"Well, I will have to do more test. The wound… Rukia-san's wound… Yes, I can see… It seemed mangled and charred…"

Well, he could see that too. Yamamoto stroke his beard. He was aware his quick response tactical unit needed a bit more work. His elite officers were rather an unorthodox bunch. But he was also a firm believer of using any resources to win any advantages you can possibly get. So what if they were a bit clueless, they had to make it work.

"I can see that too."

"Kido burnt are notoriously hard to heal. Hand nerves ending are particularly hard to regenerate"

The boy blinked and opened his eyes wide in fear.

"But you knew that as well… So-taicho." He mustered pitifully staring at Yamamoto's missing left arm.

The old man stared at him sternly. A work in progress. All of them.

" It's a possibility…"

Yamamoto kept staring at him. What a fool!

"I'm prepping the surgical team immediately… I believe the one who participated in the organ regeneration will be perfect for this task. I'm calling them immediately and... I will stop talking now."

Yamamoto nodded gently.

"Should we turn off their limiters completely? I believe in the case of Ichinose. It's a necessity. Kokito, prepare to turn off the officer's limiters. Completely this time."

"No. Don't do any such things. Leave the parameters like this."

Sasakibe turned to Yamamoto. He was rarely at odds with his Taicho and now was one of those times.

"But the enemy is strong. She stands no chance. Come on, turn it off.

"Don't you touch that button, Kokito. That's final. We will not turn off their limiters. They will fight with what they have. All of them."

"She asked for help."

"No units deployment either."

"You think she can handle this."

"I know Ichinose will handle this. If she doesn't, she will die."

" You put too much faith in that girl. She was… Do you forget what happened when you put your faith into that particular Suki-chan? What she did back then? I know we owed it to Tadashi to try. He is my friend too. But what if she is simply not up to the task."

"You like that Suki-chan? She is also like your goddaughter, I know. And I remember you being always so soft-hearted with women. Ever the gallant one."

"It's not that. If one captain is defiant… The other one will try to save the day… You know that too. "

Sasakibe frowned for the first time.

"You can watch them die?"

"Yes."

"Anyone of them?"

Yamamoto nodded firmly.

"Yes."

"That's why you're the Sotaicho."

Yamamoto nodded again even if he didn't have too. Sasakibe nodded softly and turned back to the screen, filled with new determination. Kuchiki was trying to fight with one hand. The other Kuchiki wasn't faring better against his opponent, the leader of the Primeros. Ichinose was slapped, jerked around, mauled, and strangled by her opponent. He studied again Kuchiki-taicho's fight patterns before he made his conclusion. The shinigami side was falling. He finally nodded with a sigh.

"Kokito?"

"Yes, Sasakibe Fukutaicho."

"Engage in protocol "Yellow Gates."

The shock was written on all the officers present. "Yellow Gates" was the name of the protocol that takes care of the military funeral arrangements for decorated officers or captains.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Also, call the Kuchiki family. They must be prepared. Noble family's funerals are even trickier to arrange. Also, send a message to my wife, I won't be home for dinner."

He sat down next to his captain. Yamamoto simply nodded.

"You did well. Your wife will forgive you."

"What do we do next?"

"Well, since it seems we have lost the battle. We must prepare for the next. We mustn't lose the war."

* * *

**Tadashi Ichinose**

"Retired" member of the Zero division

Ex-third seat of the First division

Ex-captain of the Fifth division

Father of Keikosuki Ichinose and a bunch of other Suki-chan

Grand Master and Founder of BENTOBU

Cooking was a selfish passion for him, a debilitating all-consuming passion. It could have been the end of him so many times but fortunately, eating was also a necessity for most, turning his art into his most precious bargaining tool... Into a weapon.

* * *

_Gleaming fangs in the dark. Ichigo crawling back face first on the floor knocking his head hard, his arms bound to his back with spiritual fabric and iron shafts. Keikosuki's body sank deeply in the water. She did not have the strength to do anything else. She could only seek deeper into a sea of despair. The spider kept threading its web diligently. Black ink was spilled on parchment paper._

Tadashi blinked twice staring at his bleak reflection in the deep pan. He froze above the crackling pan, sniffing its content, then his immediate surroundings suspiciously. That Motsunabe was just a spark overcooked. How did he miss that impossible to fail recipe? Suki Ichinose's father scratched his neck nervously, frantically, taking off his apron, jumping off from his wheeling ladder. He rushed outside the room, limping on short limbs. and without staring at the disturbingly dark sky above his head, he crossed the yard to enter the west wing of the castle. Three older women with grey hair were taking turn threading gold thread on a weaving net while one was using a traditional sewing machine. They all stopped what they were doing to send a glare his direction. He simply shook his head and hurry his pace. Quietly, they went back to their works.

Entering his office, he pushed a chair behind the desk and jump on it to grab a bunch of old parchments there. He scribbled a couple of words with a feather wetted in black ink and left in a hurry, his chair crashing with a thud. A parchment rolled ungracefully to the floor, unwrapping its content on the lavish carpet.

" _I, Tadashi Ichinose, hereby bequeath the ownership of my estate to my deliciously mean wives. The four of them have made my life a pleasant journey to hell and paradise. I graciously thank them for every minute of it. To my dear Cleosuki, I grant you permission to marry as much as you want, my dear. Your father wants you to be happy and if it must be in the hands of some half-hearted impotent, so be it. Take care of all your remaining sisters. Tell Aya-chan that she must not let her temper get the best of her. I also give you and your sisters all the remaining shares of our company. I taught all of you well. Don't waste it and make me roll in my grave… Because I will come rolling. I promise to come back rolling if you Sukis don't behave yourself. I wish I could say proper goodbye to you all. But this letter, I must prepare in advance since everyone's time always come too suddenly to an end so one could make any timely preparations. Just know I live a long and prosperous life. I loved. I had friends. I had enemies._

_Don't know what else to say..._

_…_

_I remember a song of when you were all sunshine birds._

_For this Suki, I invented this recipe._

_I melted vanilla and a thousand stars together in a moonless sky because only I could._

_On a plush and moist rice biscuit of love, I wrapped her in white frosting to shelter her from the cold._

_When that was not enough, I surrounded her with sprinkled white and black chocolates._

_It rained and I sigh because there was so much work still._

_I spread layer after layer of caramelized roasted nuts as if I was building a castle in the sands with my bare hands._

_I wish for you to go there after I passed, just so that you indulge in that crunchy taste you like. But I can imagine the monsters coming after you, lusting after what made you unique, my beloved precious girl like they did others before._

_So for you, Suki, I fed Evil so he could rest easy and you too._

_For you, I invented colorful sweets like cotton trees._

_In that delicious forest, you cannot rest my sweet cloud chaser._

_He will be waiting for all of you._

_Don't be afraid though because Daddy will make your favorite dish, the one only you know about._

_To this Suki, I, her father, bequeath… Death."_

**HIDDEN CITIZENS - FÜR ELISE (EPIC TRAILER VERSION) (HYBRID ORCHESTRAL CHORAL)**

He descended the stairs leading to the dark cavernous belly of the castle. He grabbed his old haori hanging on a nail on top of the stair. Putting the parchments on the floor for a minute, he snapped the folded crumpled coat in front of him before putting it on, as it dragged on the floor. His shadow grew taller. He picked up all his recipes on the floor and leap on the last flight of stairs.

Once upon a time, Tadashi walked through a cemetery of his own making, wearing the coats of his enemies, cleaning his sword in blood, he was once a captain of the GOTEIJUSANBANTAI and before that he was one of the Originals.

Grabbing a lit torch on the wall, he stood in the antechamber, facing the imposing gate of his Vault, as if he stood in front of the gates of hell.

Ichinose Tadashi, known as The cook, had been just a young boy, then walking among Death gods. Shigekuni Yamamoto the Gravedigger, Dorotsube Mariyo the Wise, Omaeda Tagawa the Prince, Kuchiki Natsuo the bloodless, Shihouin Bibigosha The Keymaker, the Beast Kenpachi, also known as Retsu Unohana, and many others fought side by side since the beginning of Soul society. He could tell a thousand horror stories of them fighting and slaying demons and monsters. At least he could at some point… Now he was nothing but the shadow of a ghost, like all his fallen brothers, haunting the sad walls of his decaying castle. He was not even good enough to be the guardian of the memory of a forgotten world. Tales of his youth… Of two kingdoms… Of two people… Tales of death and decadence… Tales of a jealous king… Tales of unruly children… Tales of a fallen kingdom…

He wondered sometimes if Shigekuni remembered all of that. At this rate, he may as well be the last one standing. What started it all? How they made it this far. Why they fought at all? These days, his memory failed him completely. All the battlefields looked the same. He didn't remember why he fought. All the fields of death were mostly mashed together and rendered stale by time and grief.

The vault, forged centuries ago, was a clear six feet tall work of solid metal that nothing and no one, not even time could budge. At first, there was no handle, no lock, no hinges, nothing to get a grip on. But as he stepped on the last march, a skeletal unfriendly figure, made of melting iron jerked awake. It was holding the hinges of the door sealing it to the word. The creature looked at him with feral red eyes before it roared. Unflinching, Tadashi moved his hands upwards and in a circle before taking a defensive stance. The servant followed his hand tilting his head like a snake being charmed. A fluorescent drawing of the floor showed the four cardinal points. Inconvenienced by the harsh lighting, the creature immediately back off, opening his skeletal arms as the heavy mechanism shook the very foundation of the castle.

The latch on the door rotated at last and the door opened slowly. Tadashi quickly picked up all his recipes and hurried inside. The door dramatically shut down behind him. He stood in the vault for a minute seemingly lost. It was a confined space, and it was almost impossible to move without stepping on some random piece of parchments or books. He seldom left his kitchen lab these days. Not much deserved his attention outside of immortalizing all his recipes. Candles ignited one by one, floating in the air. He grabbed a blank book, sat down on a pillow, and started writing down.

…A soup recipe with boar meat, sprouting broccoli, potatoes, and mushroom and crystallized Violet petal... and a broken soul.

It was the perfect recipe for a girl who disobeyed her father. He sometimes lied about not remembering the name of the girl. He remembered the time he thought he had lost her. He was young then. He was already a father but a foolish one if one needs to be perfectly honest. He thought that having so many daughters immunized him somehow from ever feeling the truest of fright, the blindest of terror in the event that one of them disappeared. In fact, he remembered that daughter of his, her adorable plump cheeks, opening her purple-green eyes for the first time, staring at the world, smiling in awe and laughing just out of her mother's womb. If you thought purple-green wasn't a color, Tadashi thought that he had to make you taste this new recipe. Of course, you'd see immediately that purple-green was a color. It was a unique color meant to be precious and rare. He cradled her in his arms almost every day after that. She and her sister, the blonde Suki-chan, followed him everywhere. They spent most days at work with him. His wives and other daughters were jealous but he didn't care how much he doted on these two. They were both destined for something grand.

Tadashi stroke his forehead, trying to stir and assemble his memory. Did he use Parsley in that recipe? The sounds of their laughter traveled down the walls as the two girls played Hide and Seek in the Grand Palace. Parsley, sour cream, yes, but also ginger and nutmeg…

Only, he found Natsuki standing alone in one hallway and Keiko was gone. Vanished. He searched everywhere, every plane of existence, every dimension accessible to a child of a zero division member, everywhere, until… he realized there was still a place he didn't search… The only place she could not possibly be.

He was interrupted by a knock on the door. Tadashi turned paranoid, holding tight a crumpled bunch of paper against his chest. Who wanted to steal all his precious recipes? Who? He won't ever give up without a proper fight. He won't ever give up on her.

_Natsuki rushed to meet her younger sister but someone pulled her back from behind. The sky was covered with compact clouds above them. With a roar, thunder announced a storm only seconds before it started to rain. Keikosuki-chan was the name of that little girl. She loved a boy. A boy who hated Soul Society. She loved a boy who hated everything he stood for. She loved a boy who used her. She had a heart pure like that. It was a pity really. To this day, he believed she was just his naïve girl always getting her nose where it didn't belong. He could never give up on her. She was just so special. What if he killed that boy? He killed many. He'd kill anyone who would hurt his Pride. He would probably never forgive that boy for meddling with his precious daughter. He would never forgive anyone… who hurt his little one._

Another knock.

Now he was certain, someone wanted to rob him. He was going to fight it. He always retaliated hard when somebody tried to rob him of what was his.

Cleo stood worriedly in front of the vaulted door. She just felt the castle moving and she knew she had to come here to find him.

_How long did the girl keep screaming in the rain? All of them will forget. Eventually. They will all forget. He forgot. He forgot every damn thing about her pain. It was another pointless fight for a faceless cruel king. Nobody cared about her pain. He had a job to do. He had to protect the King._

"Father, it's Cleosuki. Answer me. I know you are there."

The ghosts spoke now in the haunted castle. It was disgusting really how everything seemed wrong but so familiar at the same time.

" Father? I don't know what's happening? Mothers are worried. They saw you leave. Please, There are people at the door… I mean not really people… Servants… from Above. They never ventured so far. I remembered them from when I was young. You told me they were spirits of the past without memories or feelings left. They don't have reiatsu. They only wield the purest form of Reiryoku. They are only filled with intent. They will only obey the master that send them. I don't know what to tell the others. Everybody is on edge. Please, Father, we need you. Tell us. What should we do? What do they want? Is it you? Do you have to go? Do you have to leave? "

His eyes widened. Servants venturing to the pit of hell… How quaint!

"I mean they don't talk obviously; they don't do anything, but float aimlessly in front of the gates. I'm going to call the Gotei 13. Maybe Yamajiisama can do something about it."

"No. Don't do that!"

"Father?"

"You're not my Suki, are you?" He whispered against the door.

"Oh! You're... You're not yourself. Father, please, stop this nonsense. Come out. It's okay."

"I made that possible. I made it happen. All of it. I cooked and I cooked and he never lost his appetite... He ate and ate… ate… He would eat his own if he could… He wanted my flesh next… What was I supposed to do? Let him do it? It was not his little girl. His was gone. Was mine. I could never let her go… let her get hurt… again…Let her out of my sight… She is just so precious… Something went wrong. Clearly wrong. I told him to protect her for me since I didn't know what to do. He is coming to get me. He is wide awake now. I know he is hungry. They all are! They always ask me... Save the world they say. Feed the beast, please. I am so tired of all the noises. "

"Father, will you come out?"

"You won't have my recipe, no matter how much you ask for it. You won't ever cook like me. I will never make a meal for you, you demon."

"Father… I'm pretty sure I can cook, fine. Thank you! Father, please, come out. You are scaring me ! Please, you are home! You came home and you never left again."

A pause.

" You are... Cleo-chan."

"Yes!"

"I held your hands and taught you how to walk."

"You did…"

"Then why couldn't I do it for her? " He sobbed and moaned. "I should have watched her."

"Father…"

"I'm so sorry Cleo. I wish I could have said a proper goodbye to all of you. But you can't say goodbye to ghosts."

A limpid tear fell down on his cheek.

"I am not a ghost. None of us are. We are here with you."

He sighed, breathing slowly.

"Goodbye then."

Cleo didn't remember blinking. She only remembers the words dying in her throat as she was thrown against the wall by a powerful blast. A couple of minutes later, she opened her eyes and gasped. What had just happened?

She felt a gentle hand stroking her face slowly, nudging her out of her dazed state. She looked up to see her mothers by her side. She turned to the vault. It was opened with smoke coming out of it. What she noticed first was Tadashi's precious recipes burning and then she remembered she was talking with her father.

"Father?"

She gasped again, sensing the wave of grief overwhelming her. She was talking with her father. Now, all her mothers were holding onto her.

"It's going to be fine, child," Yume said at first.

She was the oldest, wearing her unique braid of gray hair rolled around her hips.

"He needed to go."

Midori the pragmatic said, and Leonor nodded because she was used to never say much.

"To save our blood before we lose another one," Natsume added tearfully. She was a blonde not unlike Natsuki-chan.

" Death is what awaits us all, child. What we won't forgive is him making another child of ours cry." Midori went on, shrugging. "Come, let's get you cleaned up. Your father made Motsunabe. It's not his best work. But it was your favorite when you were a child. He was always so thoughtful."

Cleosuki stood uneasily, her eyes staring at the vault.

"He made... He is gone... Father... He is really gone. Why? Why did he do this? What does it mean? He is gone. Just like that… There was this… He is gone. It's empty… Where is he?"

"Even angels die, my dear." Yume shushed her softly, staring at the vault. "Your father was an angel and his wings got burned. Now he can rest in peace somewhere with lots of trees."

"He always liked trees." Natsume nodded.

"We have to prepare his memorial," Midori said, always the practical one. "How many guests shall we expect?"

"Yes, he wanted a military one. I will message Eijisai in the morning."

"I disagree. Part of him wanted nothing to do with the military in the end. I say we celebrate as a family." Leonor said. 

And because she never said anything or asked for anything, the other sister wives consider her words carefully. Only Cleo kept sobbing. Yume finally nodded. She was always the one with the final words. She turned to Cleo and dried her tears with her hands.

The wives silently led Cleo away from the carnage. As they disappeared upstairs, the door enigmatically closed itself pushed by an invisible force, the latch locking slowly on its own. The melting iron monster smiled contentedly as it munched on some invisible delicacies. It closed his arms again, guarding his master's deepest secrets.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter = Copycat


	30. Copycat

* * *

**Orihime Inoue**

Ichigo Kurosaki's girlfriend

Ulquiorra's hostage

Friend of Rukia Kuchiki

A rare species of badass women available in a limited edition in the "Redhaired baby doll with a big heart" section.

* * *

"It means that like Ichigo, you cannot lose."

Or maybe not…

On the contrary, you have everything to lose.

Maybe like Ichigo, you can lose everything.

For a brief instant, Orihime's memories took her back to that time at the carnival fair. To Ichigo. To their joined hands where their hearts were not. To the way, her heart throbbed in her chest every time he looked at her as if she knew the moment wasn't meant to last. She realized how little their teenage life meant compared to the challenges she was facing now that she knew better than anyone what came after death. What normal ever meant to her? She was never normal. A girl raised by her older brother because her parents were superstitious freaks who thought she was the incarnation of the Devil. The first guy she ever had a crush on had superpowers. The first guy who ever kissed her had superpowers and was a villain to boot. Normal did not exist in her universe. It started in her mind with falling in love with Ichigo and it went on from there. It's like Fate decided to make a tangled web of their lives. Ever since they came back from Hueco Mundo, she did everything in her power to put her captive days behind her. But the universe didn't want to let go and…

She was still so weak and useless at times ...

It all happened in a blur.

Ulquiorra drew his zanpakutō as Moon and Archer surrounded them. The minute he let go, Orihime felt cold as if her blood had turned solid in her veins. A deformed pale arm wrapped around her waist. Enzo. She felt herself being lifted in the air. She floated mid-air for a few seconds before being released. Falling back down, she recognized Captain Kuchiki's Haori. Something circled her leg and grabbed her thighs and dragged her back down just as fiercely. Orihime screamed and screamed again until she crashed hard against concrete turned into welcoming pillows. Ulquiorra's arms. She realized he had fully transformed and his tail was still around her hips. He cautiously put her down.

Orihime could only stare in awe at his resurrected form. His reiatsu was steaming hot against her. Wind moving against her hair on her face. A detail strikes her just before he disappeared using Sonido. His chest was back to bleeding profusely. She locked eyes with him in that second before it was too late as she realized what he just did. Sacrificing all regeneration abilities to concentrate everything he had on his offensive side. She felt as if he just ripped her in two. She opened her eyes and she saw Ichigo fall face first with a hole in his chest. She blinked again and it was her brother's demise in front of that truck she was seeing. But it was too late and he just disappeared.

A blast and another blast followed and honestly, she didn't know where it came from or how long she stood there with her world collapsing everywhere. The ground was shaking, and it smelled like smoke tire and sulfur. She didn't want to turn. She didn't want to look. She just needed time to digest what he just did.

She needed to do something. Anything… Move…

But she didn't and just before Moon was about to grab the redhaired. Orihime felt his tail wrapped around her waist again and she was dragged full force toward its master. She was fully prepared though when she met with him, her arms wide open. She held on so tight it surprised even the Espada. His claws slide into the mass of red hair, stroking the nape of her neck. Their eyes locked together. Orihime looked at him with teary eyes. But the comfort she felt didn't last, a jet of blood splashed her cheek, a few drops still hot fell on her left eyelid. Orihime never knew who they belonged to. Moon Darthcross. Herself. Ulquiorra. All three of them. Half her pajamas were gone; burned away by the blast. Suddenly, the Primeros was pulling on her last clothes and Ulquiorra was falling to the ground at high speed. His body crashed into the concrete, crossed the bridge, and plunged into the river.

She didn't even have time to scream. Not a single sound came out of her. Who would listen to her plea? Who cared about Orihime Inoue? She could only follow his fall. All around her, they were all falling. It all happened in slow motion as if her mind needed to slow down to process what was happening to her. Another violent crash, someone fell in the river. Then she heard Rukia's voice… Was it really her voice? She didn't know. She just realized she'd been standing there watching the world crumble around her. Being useless again. She moved. She simply ran. She couldn't use shunpo nor fly in the air. So, she did the only thing she thought she could do, she tried to run. She managed to run a short distance before she bumped into Moon again. She would have screamed if she had any strength left. It finally dawned on her that Ulquiorra didn't resurface. The water was untroubled where he fell. A shinigami woman emerged from the water on the over side, but not Ulquiorra. He had fought for her. His blood was warm on her cheeks. They were all fighting for her. They had all done their best. She was such a burden for everyone.

Moon dragged Orihime by her luxurious mane then changed grip and put both hands around her neck to push her to the ground. The battle was raging on the bridge and every second a new explosion detonated in the background.

"I'll do it here!"

"That was not the plan!" Archer said, bleeding through a hole in his chest.

"Fuck the plan! I'm done playing cat and mouse with this bitch!"

Archer shrugged and continued to scan the river in search of the Espada. Moon forced Orihime on her knees.

" It's time to steal a bit of your genius!"

"Please stop… Let them go!"

Moon stabbed Orihime in the back of her neck with her pallid white fist turned for the occasion into a syringe.

Ichigo.

Ulquiorra.

Sora.

Orihime uttered a silent scream. Her amber eyes darken quickly. The syringe pushed down at the base of her neck. Her body quickly became numb. Each vibration of the syringe resonated in her body, causing tingling and burning. She could not say she was hurting. She didn't feel a thing and she couldn't say if it was a good or a bad sign. Moon was greedily absorbing her power. The Primeros read in Orihime like some people read a manual of instruction ... As one read a music partition... On her stomach, Orihime tried to crawl. He was dead. Ulquiorra was dead. He died trying to protect her. She was so useless. Orihime groaned in pain and rolled on her back with the last of her strength, and grabbing one heavy rock on her way, she punched Moon in the face so hard one sharp steel nail remained embedded into the arrancars cheek, scarring her.

Moon recoiled in pain and in shock. She let out a monstrous howl, blood streaming down on her now entirely disfigured face. It hurts so bad. How did this little mortal manage to pierce her Hierro?

"The fuck, you bitch! I'm gonna freaking kill you! I'm gonna sip every last drop of you." Moon grunted .

Orihime tried to stand groggily. She knew she had to run. But she couldn't muster the strength and when Moon was on her once again, forcing her down, pushing her "syringe" back into her neck with even more rage. This time the redhaired fought back.

A figure floated above her like an angel. The impact of the round kick hit Moon hard, the Primeros backed away and let go. Before her, Orihime saw the ground approaching full speed. Snowflakes cooled the burning sensation on her neck. She released all the air in her lungs at once. The ground froze like a skating park. Her face hit the ice. She remained like this an indefinite amount of time, unable to move. A new explosion. The bridge vibrated beneath her. Her haggard eyes stared at the same point, not blinking even once when Rukia staggered backward and crashed beside her.

"Orihime?"

Rukia was out of breath for some reason.

"You don't have… the right to die now... He needs you. You hear me?"

Orihime blinked. Rukia was laying on her back, her eyes staring forlornly at the sky.

"I made… a promise, Orihime… I made a promise… You have to… fight this. Be strong. Because he's not there to be… strong for us. So we must be strong… on our own."

Rukia chocked on her own blood. She spits and coughed scarlet liquid.

"Damn it! I can't breathe…. I think I lost my hand… I can't breathe…But you stay alive… I don't want him to be sad anymore… This idiot…loves you so… much…"

Orihime kept staring blandly. She wanted to say so many things to Rukia, for example, how much she valued their friendship, how selfish she was when she knew it wasn't her, Ichigo was looking at… He never really looked at her that way… But it didn't matter at the time. She just wanted to be normal so bad. She made everything so ugly because she didn't want to feel so inadequate anymore. She was so undeserving of having a caring friend like Rukia. She wanted her to know. But her lips wouldn't move, and she felt so numb.

Rukia's tears mingled with her blood, which colored the asphalt at the same time as Orihime's blood. The puddles joined together to form one. Someone else was fighting over them. Rukia kept staring at the sky.

"I'm sorry… Tell Ichigo… I don't think I can go to the beach with you guys after all."

She whispered her voice hoarse, still lying in the same odd uncomfortable angle. Nii-Sama ...

"I didn't lose my fight."

Tears blurred the sight of the redhead. She didn't shed a tear. Orihime could only watch without blinking Rukia's struggle to keep on breathing.

"Nii-Sama ..."

* * *

**Kuchiki Byakuya**

Captain of the sixth division.

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Money meant nothing to him. A title, he considered a cute ornament on the wall. His name was all he really had. His pride was all he cherished. His determination had always been his best asset.

* * *

Her reiatsu sizzled evenly. Suki. She was alive. Her reiatsu was becoming stronger. Achieving this realization cost him a few seconds of attention. It was so fucking sloppy on his part he had to swear like a vulgar peasant. The tip of Enzo's spear tried to unhook his scarf and torn tattered pieces floated to the ground. He placed both hands in front of him and Senbonzakura followed to shield him. Suki was fighting again.

Byakuya ducked after the fact. And after having parried a dozen attacks in less than a minute, he used Kido but whatever spell he used was defeated in seconds.

"You're not focused, little prince! It pains me!"

True enough. He wasn't focused. Rukia was fighting again. He could smell her blood in the air. Or was it his?! Byakuya froze. Something just penetrated the shield of Senbonzakura and… his chest. It went through and through. Impaled on the spear, he blinked at the realization but directed immediately his Bankai on Enzo.

"Let me show you the power of my zanpakutō, little prince! Jikan kanshō "

The collision of spiritual power was monumental and the part of the bridge under them sank deep into the bed of the river.

Time stopped. In the giant hourglass of life, sand stopped flowing. A child's laugh. The timeline opened before him in multiple directions. Before Byakuya, there was only one road. It took him a while to understand that that only road seemed to stop right here.

Was a Bankai enough? No, not necessarily. Byakuya was not one of those naïve thinking just because they achieve Bankai they had achieved some kind of holier state and somehow became invincible. He was not one to focus on just one asset. But sometimes, a Bankai was not enough. Sometimes its power was not measured so much by the skill of its master but by his determination to win. They were Shikai unstoppable like Aizen's. There were so much more determined fighters like Ichigo. They were the strength of darker designs than his.

In this case, he wondered if it was not a combination of both.

He had been told a lot about his father. His human qualities, his generosity, his altruism, his pragmatism had been praised. But his fighting skills were always rumored to be just above average. People, like Yoruichi, preferred to say that he was not much of a fighter but he was a kido expert. Others, like his grandfather, preferred to remember him as a master strategist. Byakuya admitted that he did not know his father very well. Most of the time, he conjured memories of others to make an image of his two parents together. He wondered now if his father ever stared at the road ahead and realized it was a dead end. He frowned. It was so quiet around here.

Byakuya looked back and his eyes widened slightly at the sight.

The images ran in a loop before his eyes. It was as if he was back at the Kuchiki estate. It was probably an illusion. It probably didn't happen that way. It's not like he saw his father die. Except he did.

As he pushed the door of the left garden, he heard a woman scream in despair. He spun again. She was tall with white hair that made her look so out of place just standing there. She had blue eyes. She was screaming and climbing down the stairs wearing a delicate yellow kimono. He remembered this. Byakuya turned to notice her miniature version of himself playing with his cousins… The twins… Shane… and…Stella… She screamed again and he could no longer ignore that familiar heart-wrenching sound. His mother. The woman was his mother. Sakura... 

Was she ever this strikingly beautiful? His mother. He did not inherit much from her. Her hair could touch the ground when she kneeled next to his futon to tell him a story at night. She was always smiling.

Byakuya swallowed hard. Yes, it happened that way. It was a memory. His memory of that day. Sakura was watching them play in the courtyard when a servant kneeled to whisper something in her ear, and the expression on her face changed forever. She was screaming after that and running toward the porch. She climbed the stairs and was in the blink of an eye in the garden. His grandfather carried something in his arms. He was followed by the two hundred men of his division and his personal guard. Flags of the sixth division flapped noisily outside the gates. There were more people outside. Their immense garden was invaded very quickly.

Byakuya let go of the ball in his hand. He could sense from where he stood that his father's reiatsu was so weak, it was barely a whisper in the wind. In a minute, he realized the person who taught him how to play ball, how to use a bow, and what's the difference between a toad and a frog, that person who was always making jokes, that person was gone. Sakura begged Ginrei to put Soujun in front of her, but his grandfather had continued on his way, sparing her only a brief glance as he entered the mansion. Several servants had come running to her mother's side to help her. She pushed them all and went back inside like a tornado. Byakuya didn't run to join that. He stopped running. It was simply too childish. So, he simply followed them inside.

He remembered standing in that room, full of adults, when his father took his last breath and slowly dissolved into a memory.

He remembered, sitting on the bench, playing with cherry blossom while the wind swept his hair to the side, while his mother's screams inside the house were cruelly carried by the wind. He knew she was fading too. Waning. He crushed the flower in his hand as if to crush the child he had been until then as if to crush all uncertainties as if to crush his pain. The pain had nothing to do with his responsibilities now. He had just understood that he was now the heir of the clan. He would be the one who would succeed his grandfather. He had just understood he had to fill these shoes.

"Byakuya-sama?"

He turned to face Hisana. She was unchanged. She was exactly the same as when he last looked at her and held her hand.

"You will be fine."

"Where am I?"

"It's a bit of a surprise. I remembered I could never surprise you even for your birthday. All my gifts… I know you said you liked them to be polite, Byakuya-sama. But I just knew..."

He really did like them. She would give him the oddest thing really. He'd put them in his drawer in his office. You could probably still find a waned flower, a pair of antique boots he never wore, two books he never read, a drawing of a bear and an eagle, an old rusty watch, a tissue bracelet she made. True, he didn't really give it much thought at the time. He didn't know what to do with them. But what Hisana didn't know was that Byakuya Kuchiki was so used getting what he wanted in life that the simplest fact that she wouldn't give herself entirely to him was oddly enough what he loved the most about her. He felt he had to work so hard for her to love him. It gave him a reason to live.

She smiled meekly, putting her strand of hair behind her ear. He finally noticed she was not alone.

"Rukia…"

But the blurry figure standing next to the oak tree didn't move.

"No… Not Rukia…please…"

"I am so glad you came to love her just as much as I do. I was so scared you two wouldn't get along."

He frowned, realizing at last.

"I lost that fight."

"Did you?" Hisana asked.

Byakuya wanted to go back but there was no way out. He was suddenly overwhelmed with a shockingly strong wave of despair.

But he heard a familiar laugh behind him and it smelled so good, like banana, apple, and vanilla… and all that was sweet on earth. He tried to remind himself he didn't like sweets that much. He never like sweets. He spun around slowly searching for the origin of that sound.

Byakuya entered the lavishly decorated common room and all the adults parted with one exception. In front of the black coffin, Isshin was kneeling with a stick of incense in his hands. Ever polite as a child, he waited until he counted ten sheep getting over a fence in his head. And when he realized that Isshin had not budged at all, a young Byakuya kicked him out of his way. Ginrei did not blink. Sakura did not blink. It did not matter if the man was four sizes taller than him, or that he was old enough to be his father, or that he had the level of reiatsu of a captain, Byakuya sent him flying further. He landed with a thud, in front of Furuichi Shihouin-Sama and his daughter Yoruichi who giggled. The assembly gasped in shock but as he glanced over his shoulder, silence fell back into the room. He did not apologize in any way. Byakuya Kuchiki hated waiting, and Isshin should have known that the leader of the Kuchiki clan could not be waiting. He took the place of his father's friend on a cushion and clasped his hands around a stick of incense. He did not have much to say. There were just three things that came to his mind at the moment.

One, he was going to miss his father, but since he was no longer a child, he would manage perfectly well without him. Of course, starting today, it was Grandpa who was going to train him. He just accepted to be enrolled in the new advanced class at the academy.

Two, he would follow in his footsteps and of course, he would make him proud. Mother too. Especially since Mother was sick now and she never come out of her room. He was going to be a great leader.

Three, he would do a few things to improve his bad temper. Just a bit. But he still hated that Ichimaru kid.

He heard that laugh again. He tried to shush the people behind him. But his eyes widened as he realized he was standing in a classroom at the academy and a young Gin Ichimaru was grimacing like a clown behind him, mimicking Byakuya's walk. That laugh again! Byakuya gritted his teeth. Someone was standing behind Gin and laughing at everything he did.

"He's very much that way that Kuchiki-sama! Do it again, Gin-chan! Pretend you're him and you're about to interrupt the teacher to ask about the weather..."

He never did that. She did, that lazy little witch! Her laugh again coming from behind the door this time. He turned…There was a road. Byakuya started to run toward the sun. He heard footsteps and stopped. Two shadowy figures were taking turn hiding behind bushes and trunk of trees.

"Where are you? Children? Mommy is tired of playing."

"You're never tired of playing! You live to play! "

"True. Duh! I just found you! Tag! You're the cat now!"

"No! I don't want to be the cat. I don't like cats. It's not fair…"

"It's not fair that I'm unbelievably smart and pretty but we all got our crosses to bear…"

"Mommy! I'm gonna tell Daddy that you miss work today to stay home and play with us!"

Well, Byakuya had a feeling Daddy already knew. He walked faster in the forest, wishing he could just use shunpo. He just wanted to catch a glimpse of them. He didn't know who they were but he just wanted to see them. It was a visceral need. The woman moaned loudly.

"Don't do that! Please! He will be on my case for a week."

He frowned, circling two giant trees, seemingly lost.

"Mommy, stop! Don't cry!"

"I can't stop. Life is so sad when you're betrayed by your own children! I don't want to be punished! Please! Have mercy! I will do anything you want!"

" You're not supposed to say that. You could have grounded us instead..." 

"Well, I prefer to cry..."

"I was just messing with you, mommy. I won't say anything. But you could pretend I found you, and I would win the game, and obviously, that would make me the best… but we already know that… and that would make you entitled to reward me with a "Strawberry theme Journey". You love to spoil us."

A simple moan that could only mean yes.

" A strawberry theme…. Journey… What's that?"

The boy's voice cut in.

"Oh! It's like a family 'retreat' but better! It's the best thing that could happen to our family…"

"Aoki, stop. I told you I wanted to be the one to tell Mommy."

"You were taking too long. I'm excited! I already invited Kin and all my friends! I wanted to invite all the uncles too! It's gonna be so much fun!"

Their unanimous scream of glee caught Byakuya off-guard… It sounded like they were all jumping up and down. He stood there totally bemused, his face slowly relaxing into a faint smile. There was something very familiar with that sound.

"Stop! Stop! Why are we happy, children? It sounds like a clandestine party. We are not having one of those again. I made a promise."

"Mom, It's not something so simple as a party! It's an invitation to leisure…"

"That's another name for a party! I taught you that."

"It's a 100% guaranteed without trouble little get-together."

"Still sounds like an unsanctioned party. I'm not convinced."

"Mom…Just close your eyes and imagine… Your famous strawberry pie and its elaborate variants… Honored guests coming from every part of town to taste your world-famous cuisine. Your imagination will be our traveling boat on this culinary trip you will be taking us. That's why it's called a journey!"

"That pitch Nori is fire! -"

"I agree… I wanna go on a trip too! Just say when! I wanna go with me. Sounds fun!" The woman cut in.

"I know… I could convince a panda to eat meat. My persuasion skills are out of this world. "

"Oh, we're using fancy words… I like that! I am a proud mommy!"

"I have seven more words for you, Mommy. Breakfast, Second breakfast, elevenses, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper. Just the usual…"

"Oh, ambitious with that! But you know you had me at breakfast, darling!"

A pause.

"Oh! But we can't! It would require I miss another day of work just to prepare for that. Your mommy's gonna get killed by her boss! I told you that old man likes to make Mommy miserable! He doesn't want mommy to have a life! He is so mean!"

The woman moaned again. A boyish voice cut in.

"Oh! Do you all remember when we went to see Grandpa? They had this fancy ceremony who almost took the whole day in blessings and prayers. I bet we can make the clan approve. They love fancy gatherings. We could do that and put on fancy clothes like we're about to honor some of his good deeds but indeed, it's just going to be us eating and playing all day… It's just going to be us enjoying our youth. By the way, I love the word fancy it makes me feel elegant and posh."

"Well, it really makes you sound dumb and uneducated."

"Nori, you pretentious snob!"

"Aoki, you indelicate slob!"

"You two are brilliant masterminds. I can't believe you came out of me. You probably didn't…I don't remember. Oh ! What are you two doing? I see you conspiring with each other! Stop using your twin code! "

"It's not a twin code. It's called telepathy. Tickle bomb, it is!" The children yelled like a war cry.

"No! Please! Help! Somebody help me!"

He heard her scream and giggle. Someone was having way too much fun. A pause.

"No. No… No… Okay! I can believe it. I remember it hurts for real and it took a whole damn day. Birthing you two that is. It was like real work!"

"Mommy!"

"But I say, forget the past and let's make that "Fancy Strawberry Journey" happen! Yeah! Hey children, don't you think we should have a pirate theme next month. I want to eat watermelon and play Sharks and Pirates again…I want to be a shark this time."

"Mom!"

"What? You guys were the sharks last time… and you teamed up to eat me. Not fair!"

Her voice died down… It took a moment for Byakuya to realize he was all alone in that forest again. He tried to catch his breath, but his chest was suddenly constricted. He leaned on a tree. But for the first time in his life, Byakuya felt like crying. His heart throbbed painfully in his chest. The world around him turned into a blur. His mind was suddenly unraveling. The tears burst forth like water from a dam, streaming down the side of his face, the muscles of his chin tense as he tried to contain that sudden pain. That aching… He felt like something was shredding inside of him… He simply couldn't bear that loss and for the first time, he understood how his mother felt. This was...Byakuya coughed…blood. He needed to find his road again. He hardly pushed himself to stand, opening his eyes. It was there the road he thought… The road he thought had just stopped… Byakuya wiped his face realizing he was bleeding. He needed to keep moving. 

Enzo burst out laughing as he repeatedly stabbed Byakuya.

"Do you feel it! The power of Jikanakuma… Can you see your life thread being cut?"

Kept in the air by invisible threads, it was a miracle Byakuya still could resist the urge to let go Senbonzakura. Enzo did not know how, given that he had worked hard on impaling the captain everywhere.

_Nii-Sama!_

A whisper… Byakuya turned around ... He saw the road again. **Rukia. Hold on.**

Enzo froze suddenly. What was he doing?

The look still vacant, Byakuya moved his head a few inches.

"You're moving. You are dying. You are knocking on heaven's door literally! How can you be moving still?"

He could not stay here… He could not stop walking. Well, this life was hard as it is… But he couldn't just stop walking… even if he didn't find his way… even if there was no reward… no strawberry journey… Byakuya gasped. Time could not have that much grip on him. Even if Jikanakuma scrambled all his sensory perceptions to the point where he could no longer distinguish what was real and what was not. What is the time really? Did he think that seeing the image of his missing parents would diminish him? Did he think that seeing an injured Rukia would reach him? No, years ago, he made a choice… He chose to walk on clouds, years ago, where blood and tears couldn't stain his haori ... He made a choice to move constantly. That woman... Not even her... She couldn't take that away. He formed a solid resolution. To be the leader that his father did not have time to become. Be the leader of the clan. Be the captain of the sixth division. Protect his men, his pride and his honor. Be Rukia's brother… Protect his pride...He made a choice…

He closed his eyes and conjured his own thought.

He opened his eyes to find himself nose to nose with that sadistic asshole.

"Fuck? What you people are made off?" Enzo said. As an answer, Byakuya simply spit blood on his face and smiled. Enzo roared in utter rage.

"Who do you think you are? Your line is cut. I took your past. I took your future… You cannot heal from this wound."

There was probably some part of truth in that statement, Byakuya simply smiled because he was going to keep walking until he could not, and he was going to do it on his own term, watching evil straight in the eye.

Enzo's mechanical grin slowly disappeared, and he whirled the spear between his fingers. He wanted to decapitate that smug bastard. Just like that, the idea was forged, and he was prepared to indulge himself some gore. He was about to strike when he felt one pink petal fall on his forehead. Enzo frowned. Byakuya smiled. He was too close to use Senbonzakura. He was no longer protected by his own bankai's blind spot. But well, such was the cost of dying standing. He closed his eyes and Senbonzakura shredded and sliced flesh. Wounded, Enzo roared with rage. That prissy motherfucker dared defy him!

Byakuya's Bankai disappeared slowly and his sword fell from his hand, embedding itself in the ground below. Enzo was prepared for the wonderful coup-de-grace and he was going to take so much pleasure doing this, his wicked smile in place.

What?

Impossible.

Enzo stopped short. He turned his head towards Barruk and Suki Ichinose. Barruk's battered body fell limply in the river. From where Enzo was standing, he immediately noticed Barruk was missing an arm. Suki turned to look at him, her eyes wide with horror as she noticed Byakuya standing up, hanging by an invisible thread.

That. Bitch. And. Her. Stubborn. Boyfriend. Just. Made. His. Fucking. list!

Enzo gasped and growled low.

"I'm finished! I'm done! I have what we came for!" Moon yelled. "We can go."

He turned his head to Byakuya. The two men only exchanged a brief look before Enzo used Sonido. Byakuya raised his fist, realizing he lost Senbonzakura somewhere. He was bleeding profusely. Between tears of blood, he saw her with windswept golden and brown mane, wearing a scarlet red Kimono. She was holding two brunet children before she turned to him. She winked mischievously and waved back, and it was the last vision he had before everything went dark and gravity claimed him.

Enzo caught up with Barruk. While Suki caught Byakuya by the collar of his haori just before he crashed loudly.

Moon opened a Garganta. The remaining Primeros rushed inside.

Suki laid Byakuya on the shore. What to do now? She searched for her help. While Shane was laying Rukia on the ground near them, Hinamori took care of Orihime. Suki tore his clothes so she could examine his wounds. She found so many cuts… She was horrified.

He opened his eyes.

"Where is Rukia?"

He tried to get up, but Suki pushed him back hard. Maybe too hard, because he fell back heavily.

"Sorry, you lost too much blood. You're looking like…"

"Death... Like a shinigami… Like a death god."

"I can't believe you still have a sense of humor after all of that, Kuchiki-sama. I can't believe you have a sense of humor at all. Listen, I don't know if I can do this properly… I never tried Kido healing before so…"

She pulled her wet sleeves up and put her hands on his chest. She closed her eyes but felt his hand on her wrist.

"Take care of Rukia first."

"You're so stubborn. She will be fine. Your lieutenant told me a surgical team is on its way with Unohana. Momo and Shane are caring for her and her friend in the meantime. Let me help…"

"You did enough already."

He didn't see the pain he was causing her. His eyes were closed. But he could feel his chest throbbing painfully and he imagined it was hers.

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's true. You are right. I should have fought better. I should have trained to be better prepared. "

He picked her small hands again and nodded his consent.

"You did the best you could."

Suki shook her head. She wasn't so sure. But she focused seriously and fed him a teaspoon of her reiatsu like she learned at that academy decades ago. Byakuya bolted upright with a grunt, scaring Suki with his outburst. The woman ungracefully fell back on her bottom.

"What did I do this time?"

"That was a lot you gave me at once!"

"Huh?" She stared at him, her eyes wide.

Byakuya's minor wounds closed itself in a matter of seconds. He already felt much better, like someone no longer knocking at heaven's door. Byakuya frowned and grabbed Suki's chin.

"Are you alright?" he asked with concern.

She nodded frantically. She was staring at him with round cheeks like she's just seen a ghost. He stroke her chin softly and noticed the hematomas on her neck. She winced but it had a lot to do with the chill traveling her spine just now and the fact she never sits so close to Kuchiki-sama.

"I am sorry… It was my first time..."

" I was asking for your welfare."

Suki nodded again in a dazed state.

"Do you feel dizzy?"

"Just... a little bit."

"You gave me too much. You could have endangered yourself."

"Oh! I understand..."

She nodded meekly.

"It's alright. Please help Rukia."

He said staring at her face. She nodded but she didn't move. His eyes softened, not unblinking but slowed. His open lips were betraying the fascination he had with her. He wanted to just blurt out that he just had the strangest dream about her. But it sounded so wrong on so many levels, and not even an accurate description of what he felt happened earlier with Enzo. But her eyes, they were green… with shades of purple when the sun was fading behind her.

"I'm going to do better. I promise."

She raised her head.

"I believe you. Where's Espada Cuatro?"

She seemed startled by the question. His fingers were still touching the purplish welts on her neck. "Urahara and Yoruichi are looking for him, I think."

She focused again on her task.

"Meaning they fled the scene…"

Suki took a turn surveying her surroundings. He was right. Yoruichi and Urahara were gone.

"It's alright"

He laid down completely worn out. It was at this moment the surgical team made its entrance. The shore was filled with shinigami from the fourth division. Suki shrugged nervously and wiped her tears on the right sleeve of her torn Kimono. She seemed unable to confirm or deny any information because she was so concerned about the extent of his injuries.

As if he could read in her thoughts, he told her.

"I will heal. You will learn I can be rather stubborn about not dying… You did pretty well for your first mission, Ichinose-taicho. But, Keikosuki, if you are afraid of fighting, you better quit before it's too late.

As soon as the words crossed his lips, Byakuya knew he could not take them back. He did not want to anyway. He had not changed his mind. She shouldn't be endangering her life or others in the Gotei 13. Her eyes went wide with fear, her cheeks wet, her mouth in heart quivered in the wind, Suki Ichinose had better things to do than be on a battlefield. He, Byakuya Kuchiki, would do anything to drive her away.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = Hangover


	31. Hangover

_"Your belly is so big now, Mommy!"_

_The boy said, his eyes filled with wonder. His mother shrugged in amusement as she put down her feet on the coffee table._

_"I know and it's getting bigger every day. Your sisters like to get comfy and I like getting fat, so I don't have to help daddy with the chores."_

_"I heard that."_

_Isshin said while rummaging the kitchen drawers in the hope he would find a proper knife. He was about to feed his tiny family a curry they were all going to remember._

_A young Ichigo playfully put his head on his mother's giant belly._

_"It moves. I don't know which one. She just kicked."_

_His mother nodded with a smile. Ichigo only laughed harder._

_"I can't believe I was small like that."_

_"You were even smaller. You were just an idea. A dream I had. But you were always a part of me, Ichigo. Just like I'm always going to be a part of you."_

_"I was an idea…"_

_"An idea… A dream… A need… Did I say a dream? You were like a dream! "_

_"Like when I really want ice-cream?"_

_"Exactly like that… but just imagine wanting ice-cream so much for so long. "_

_"So, you were waiting for me… like we are waiting for the girls, now."_

_"Yes!"_

_Ichigo nodded but frowned, unsure._

_"Oh, but weren't you a bit disappointed, mommy? When you got me? Sometimes, I try but Tatsuki always beat me at the Dojo. I'm not very strong."_

_"What are you saying, my boy? You are so strong! Your father and I did our best work together so far. I gave you all my strength. He gave you his big brave foolish heart!"_

_"And his good looks!" Isshin cut in._

_"When he has his scruffy beard… sure." Masaki whispered playfully with a wink._

_"It's going to grow back, wife!"_

_"You shaved it without asking!"_

_"It's my hair on my face! You tyrant!" He groaned._

_"Heard that…"_

_She showed him her tongue. He blew her a kiss._

_"I look like your mother, now."_

_Masaki never looked her day above twenty-five, but her husband knew this was a particularly touchy subject._

_"You're exaggerating, my love!"_

_"You did it on purpose."_

_She said gloomily. And it's like the background suddenly turned dark behind her, adding a dramatic feel to the atmosphere at once. She was such a comedian like Isshin. Ichigo was staring at his parents in awe. Isshin, who was now holding a rose between his lips and an opened beer in his hand like a microphone, perched himself on the sofa like an equilibrist and made this dramatic declaration of love._

_"Masaki-chan! You are the most beautiful woman on earth! I worship the ground you step on, my lovely Goddess!"_

_She crossed her arms above her round stomach, barely satisfied._

_"An old woman is what I am. Destined to be the joke of a butt."_

_As he choked on her choice of words, he almost spilled beer on the coffee table._

_"The butt of a joke, darling. The butt of a joke."_

_"I said what I said." She said, even more, peeved at getting it wrong._

_"My beautiful wife! Come into my arms, I will show how much you mean to me!"_

_She giggled._

_"Right now? Are you serious? I mean what about… going to work after lunch?»_

_"What's work? What's lunch really? I have such a pretty wife. All night long! All night! All night long!"_

_He made his best impression of Lionel Richie and Masaki was clapping enthusiastically while dancing exuberantly on the sofa._

_"Mommy! Daddy! That's why I can never talk to you seriously!" Ichigo said, rather annoyed._

_He grabbed his colored book and his pencil, ready for his own dramatic exit._

_"I'm going to my room!"_

_"Oh yeah, sorry, what was I saying? He gave you his big brave foolish heart, his good looks, a future scruffy beard and I gave you the smarts, the speed, the strength and the sensitivity… You were born strong like a legion of men. You were holding my fist so hard the very first day of your life and you almost knocked out your daddy when you came out of me. "_

_Ichigo nodded cheekily. Despite his young age, he knew his mother's propensity for exaggeration. Just like his father. He tilted his head, knowingly._

_"Didn't you hear the part where I told you Tatsuki kicked my butt again, Mommy?"_

_Masaki's head jerked back as she burst into laughter. She almost rolled on the sofa laughing._

_"She did, didn't she? That was spectacular I'm telling you! People will talk about it for a long time. That was legendary! You went down so quick!"_

_"Mommy!"_

_"That's what you called me! You were cute like your daddy. He too used to get beaten by a girl."_

_"That girl had superpowers! Superpowers! She was cheating!" Isshin yelled again from the kitchen._

_"He also cried. Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Just like you did."_

_She said, tickling Ichigo's chin._

_"Mommy, stop!"_

_"Ichigo, listen to me carefully. I promise you. Moms know best. You, sir, were born a warrior. But you have such a big noble heart… Seriously that heart of yours so big… and huge… Ichigo… that you don't know how to use and channel that strength of yours, that's all. You're growing inch by inch. Life is for learning, my Darling. You will get there one day. And then you will become invincible. The best part is you won't be bragging about it to your mommy."_

_"I will beat Tatsuki?"_

_"I really hope you will have bigger battles to fight by then. Noble Battles. Like how to be a good man or How to do the right thing?!"_

_"Just like his dear old dad!"_

_"God knows your dad still got a lot of learning to do."_

_"Woman, what are you saying? Stop telling our son nonsense! Our twins are listening too. Don't give them the wrong impression, I am the best man for you!"_

_"That you are, my dear! That you are! Now come kiss your fat old wife! You didn't hear that, right, Ichigo? Close your ears, baby! And your eyes… Close your eyes!"_

_"Mommy! Daddy! Stop!"_

_Her ringing laughter faded away._

_« Somebody is about to wake up with one monumental hangover! »_

_This laugh, Ichigo could never forget. His inner world and all its geometrical forms were half-submerged underwater. It floated in this amniotic fluid…_

_"It's nice to visit, brother."_

_His hollow, the darkest part of himself was quite materialized in front of him. Ichigo snapped and with one powerful punch opened the hollow's lips. The hollow crawled in pain._

_"Don't ever do that again!"_

_"Why the fuck did you do that for?"_

_"You don't play with the memory of my mother!"_

_The hollow snickered sarcastically._

_"It triggered a response, didn't it?"_

_"Teme… What the fuck you're talking about? Who do you think you are?"_

_"She was my fucking mother, you idiot! I don't need your permission!"_

_"She is not your mother, you monster!"_

_"Why? Why? Because she couldn't birth a monster like us… Is that what you think, Ichigo? Is that why you try not to think about her!"_

_"We have issues you and me! I am not avoiding… but my mother is freaking off-limits in our quarrels."_

_"I will use anything in my disposal…"_

_"For what?"_

_"I don't wanna be stuck here forever. Didn't we have this conversation before?"_

_"If you're here it's because you have my powers...Give it back!"_

_" Close but still wrong. It's where it stings. I'm just like you. I am waiting."_

_" Waiting ?"_

_Ichigo watched with disgust his hands that could not protect anyone anymore._

_"For you to get a clue."_

_The high school student frowned._

_"I'm waiting ..." Shirosaki repeated in a monotone and jaded voice. «I'm waiting for you to recognize your reflection in a mirror. »_

_"I was the one who was supposed to protect them. Don't you get it?"_

_"I'm waiting for you to recognize your own voice in the middle of nowhere."_

_Shirosaki perched on a rectangular parallelepiped, shrugging his shoulders._

_"I have for an eternity to wait at this rate. And it keeps on pouring down around here! This is so fucked up! I hate this place too… I miss her… I wasn't always here… with you as a king…"_

_Of course, Ichigo did not understand his hollow. The two seemed to speak quite different languages these days. The frustration of his hollow was only renewed as time went on. In the rain, he could not rest. Seeing Rukia had not stopped the flood for once. On the contrary, it had triggered gusts of wind, and most of the time, he swam in secretions and bitterness without giving them a minute of respite. Who could live that way? He was the mount. Ichigo was the king. He got accommodated with the place he held in the universe. He held onto the free privileges he had, such as reducing an Espada to mush. But after Zangetsu's departure, he was just as lost as Ichigo. He found himself in that sterile world where Ichigo's loneliness drenched him night and day. There was nothing he could possibly do… Except… Maybe he was looking at it the wrong way._

_The hollow glanced over his shoulder. Ichigo stared at the open sky, letting rain wash the tears on his cheeks. One or two geometric rocks floated with the tide, according to the mood of the teenager._

_His pallid lips split with a cruel smile. If the king did not know who he was ... That could only say one thing in the end. There was no longer a king and there was no longer a horse._

_There was nothing left._

_There was only one place left to take._

* * *

**Ichigo Kurosaki**

High School Student at Karakura High School

16 years old

Inoue Orihime's boyfriend

Friend of Kuchiki Rukia

In the past, he saved the world several times a day

* * *

When Ichigo Kurosaki opened his eyes, he let out a curse. He wasn't really that surprised to find himself lying under a blanket with an IV stuck in his arm. He bolted upright and staggered drowsily and a violent migraine twisted his features. He got rid of the intravenous and pushed away all the medical equipment. He stood for a moment stunned at his reflection in the mirror. He looked terrible with dark circles under his eyes. He opened his closet and stared a moment at the rolled blanket on the side. He picked up an old t-shirt and a jacket and went for a quick shower in his bathroom.

He expected to find Isshin behind every door. He quickly went around the house and realized it was empty. Yuzu had left a meal for him with a Get Well Soon card decorated with a healthy amount of hearts on it. He did not know what Isshin had told them. He probably told them some bullshit about Ichigo running with the flu or something like that. There was no question in his mind that when he was going to see his father, it was going to be bad.

He swallowed the bowl of rice in no time, scowling at another note on the fridge.

"Dear Ichigo,

My dear son, the battle between Good and Evil has come to an end. The Good Guys did a pretty good job if you ask. The world is still standing as you read this. So, I decided to take the girls to the movies to celebrate. After that, we're going to stop for ice cream. I guess when we get home later, we will not find you. It's alright, we will bring you something you like.

I know you hate me, and it suits me fine. I intend for us to settle our affairs later. I have a responsibility to your mother. I'd have hated telling Masaki in my next life that I let her little guy die senselessly. Everything is well as it should be.

Super Daddy!

PS: There is vanilla rice pudding at the bottom of the fridge! Your fave!"

Ichigo fumed as he crumpled the post-it in one hand. That guy! A trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his pupil along his right cheek and nostrils. He wiped it absentmindedly. That fucking asshole! What did he mean by " Everything is well as it should be."?

He grabbed the rice pudding because… Why not? He was starving. When he finished, he sat there for a minute with a frown. What was wrong with that guy? Drugging your fucking son! Almost killing him in the process! What was normal about that? Ichigo opened the fridge again and decided to grab everything that was edible inside, including the bottle of ketchup. It was only when he finished all the rice pudding, three plates of Yuzu's amazing chicken curry, two bowl of dehydrated Miso soups he warmed in the microwave, three packs of ice cream cones, three apples, two oranges, four portions of ramen, four bananas, some fried eggs and tomatoes, a box of cereal, a pack of frozen waffles, two sodas and a bottle of juice; only when he swallowed all that like an Anaconda that he felt ready to go and face the world.

A bit mortified by the carnage he made in the kitchen, he cautiously cleaned up after him. But fifteen minutes later, he was done and ready to leave the house.

Instinctively, his steps took him to Urahara's shop even if on his way he stopped to buy a burger and a shake. He didn't know why but it's like his hunger was bottomless. Seriously if he had enough change, he'd have grabbed two more burgers. When he stepped into the yard, Jinta was polishing his baseball bat with a smile. Ururu dutifully moved crates of goods in the warehouse. The little girl stopped without a word in front of Jinta with the apathetic expression that characterized her.

"Jinta on the attack! Hollows 0 - Jinta 4! What are you doing, Ururu? Move over! I want some shade!"

Ichigo watched the two children from afar before going to meet them.

"Look who's here? It's Carrot top!"

Jinta said. Ichigo ignored him and simply asked.

"Urahara is here?"

"He's inside ... He's taking care of your girlfriend. The Quincy and the Giant are there too. You see some of us didn't exactly sit around and twiddle our thumbs."

"Jinta!" Ururu reprimanded.

Jinta pulled her hair, retaliating for her interruption. Those weird kids?! But he didn't ponder about their behavior for long. Ichigo rushed inside the shop and he stumbled on Uryū and Chad.

"Ichigo? Oh! We tried to call you yesterday! But…"

Ishida started.

"Your father told us you caught some kind of flu. Glad to see you're feeling better."

Chad finished. He patted his friend shoulder warmly while Uryū was maintaining a certain distance. Ichigo wondered if they were messing with him or if it was just for real. They were acting like they truly believe what his pathological liar of a father said, when they should honestly have known better.

"Orihime is here?"

"Urahara didn't want to let her go back to her empty apartment where nobody could monitor her health. "

Uryū lowered his head.

"She is hurt? Rukia ... found her?"

"They both got hurt."

The redhead clenched his fists. He had this premonition. He knew something like that would happen.

"The enemy was very strong, Ichigo."

Uryū began to summarize the previous events as Chad simply nodded in affirmation. Uryū did not have the whole story himself. Most of his info came from Urahara and Yoruichi and they had been stingy with information. Ishida was irritated. Part of him, irrationally he knew, was angry at Ichigo for not being there. Part of him made Ichigo responsible for what had happened to Orihime. Part of him wanted him out of the torpor in which he had been bogged down in recent days.

Ichigo did not listen. He could not hear his friend anymore. All of this would never have happened if he had his powers. If only he could have fought. If only he could have ...

"It was Ulquiorra who took her again."

Ichigo had no idea why but he was not surprised. However what Ishida said next rendered him speechless.

"But he was also the one who took her back. He helped the shinigami side against the Primeros."

"The Primeros?"

"Aizen's creations before he made the Espadas. They're doing this to free him."

"They kidnapped Orihime…"

"Because they thought she was the key… Ulquiorra changed his mind and took her back."

"Why would he do that? It makes no sense."

"I don't know."

"It makes no sense that he would help. He hates me!"

"I don't know…"

"Where is he?"

"He is… He disappeared…Well…" Chad started.

"He is dead… Gone… He was mortally hit and vanished for all we know."

Chad and Uryū exchanged a skeptic look. It was as if they could hardly believe that the Espada was gone.

"We made it late to the bridge," Chad said by way of explanation.

"Rukia was seriously wounded. She went into surgery. Apparently, it was a big thing because Kuchiki-Taicho had lawyers from the Kuchiki clan with her before she went in. We don't know much. We were deemed persona non grata, Chad and I. Fourth division patched us up quickly and send us on our merry way."

It was like the ground just open under his feet when he heard her name. Until that moment, he kept pushing away his worry, thinking that she succeeded in bringing Orihime back as she promised and that she probably made it out fine. To think she did this for him... He was back to feeling nauseous and dizzy. He was trying to focus on everything Uryū said after that. But honestly, he had not followed a word after "Rukia was seriously wounded." He was just having the biggest headache of his life again.

"Did you hear what I just said?"

Ichigo shrugged indifferently. He wasn't sure it made any difference right now.

"Seriously… Say something, Ichigo!"

What could he say to Uryū? Ichigo shook his head. He just stood there passively. Feeling the tension about to erupts between his friends, Chad put a hand on the shoulder of each of them in a peaceful gesture.

" Just say something…." The Quincy muttered between gritted teeth.

"Ichigo ... Don't mind him… It was a long day and a night."

"You forgot a long week, Chad. I'm tired of him having no fucking resolution. Now Shinigami are everywhere in this town like it's their playground!"

"You all did your best. What do you want me to tell you?" Ichigo said.

Uryū broke free from Chad's hold. He pushed Ichigo with one hand. Ichigo knocked the shelves behind him.

"Ishida!"

"What happened to you, Kurosaki? Just react, fuck! Say something! Do something! Be angry! Be sad! Don't just stand there!"

The enigmatic Kisuke Urahara appeared on the threshold of the lobby and leaned nonchalantly on the doorpost.

"Ishida-san, I think I'll take over. You should go and take some rest!"

"But ..."

Ichigo kept his head down to the ground. He was too ashamed to be able to look his friends in the face. Ishida sighed in frustration.

"Okay. Well..".

Ishida turned and left. Chad patted Ichigo on the shoulder before following him. Urahara sighed and smiled.

"Don't blame them. Everyone is a little worn out. That battle was rather difficult. There was no loss thankfully, but we came close to disaster. The most important thing is ... for you to know that there was not anything you could have done. Byakuya Kuchiki and Suki Ichinose were also seriously injured fighting the leaders of the Primeros. Byakuya almost died."

Ichigo blinked at that.

"They both managed to limit the carnage to the best of their abilities. But even they were overwhelmed."

" To answer Ishida, I don't know what I would have done if I had my powers back. But I wouldn't have let something like this happened. "

Kisuke shook his head, his face still masked by his fan.

"Ichigo, I have just told you two captains practically folded in front of the enemy. Your presence would not have changed a thing."

Ichigo looked up at the former captain. These words hardly comforted him.

"Then why Ishida seems to think the opposite?"

"Ishida is being unreasonable."

"Is that it?"

" Do you want to become a monster?"

Ichigo's eyes widened, taken aback by the question.

"Huh? Funny you say that! I was not a monster before…"

" A monster of pride! A monster of egoism! You really think you're the only one who can protect?! Do you still think you're above all? You're above the rules?

"I never said…"

"Spare me, Kurosaki."

"You want me to say it. I fucking hate all of you! Yoruichi, my dad or you are very much to be put in the same fucking loony basket! If you had helped me earlier, Rukia wouldn't have gotten hurt. At least not that badly… If you think I will ever forget it or forgive you… You're dead wrong!"

"I'm wrong? Ichigo, you got used to it… addicted even… Having powers… Facing enemies only you can defeat… We got you comfortable… I got you comfortable! It was my fault! I acknowledge my part in this… But you're just a child if you think that this revolved around you, that this fight is your fight, that only you can save the day… It means you've learned nothing, Kurosaki-kun and I can't help you!"

The redhead shook his head obstinately.

"You're damn right! It was my fight! It was up to me to fight for her! Orihime was hurt because of me! Rukia too! It's my fault! I have to live with that! So don't talk to me about being a child!"

"Orihime was injured because the enemy wanted to use her power…"

"She wasn't involved until I brought her in!"

"Rukia only fulfilled her mission which is why she joined the Gotei long before you came to the world."

Ichigo stepped back before hitting a bookshelf.

"Teme, what am I doing now? If I admit that, I become what? Everyone is here to tell me what to do, what kind of man I should be, who I am supposed to be! You, Ishida, Byakuya, Rukia, my father ... But what do I do now that I don't know who I am anymore! What do I do?! I am no longer a shinigami. But I don't feel quite human either. What the fuck am I supposed to do now? shit! I am helpless! Useless! This is a fucking nightmare I cannot wake up from? So you tell me, Mr. Genius, what do I do? What is the damn next step! Do you have the answer? I did what was expected of me! What you expected, didn't I?! I gave everything back! Everything she gave me that night… Even my hope! I gave it back! To save all of you! I did! You know I did! You want to tell me now I can't expect the universe to reciprocate a bit… Just a bit! Now, all of a sudden, I can't ask you for anything! You, ungrateful bastard! My friends are dying because of me! So don't you dare patronize me!

Kisuke nodded calmly.

"You touched the nerve of the problem. You don't know who you are. This is understandable. But no one but you can find the answer. It's up to you to know what kind of man you want to be, Kurosaki-kun. This is not on me.

On his words, Kisuke shifted to the side.

"Orihime is still asleep. Rukia-san is in the new headquarters. I heard she is out of the woods."

Ichigo clenched his fists before going to the guest room. Upon entering the room, he found Inoue lying under a blanket. Her neck was covered with bandages and the rest by scratches. He knelt by her side and uttered an inaudible sigh.

* * *

**Orihime Inoue**

High School student at Karakura High School.

Ichigo Kurosaki's girlfriend.

Promoted Heart of Ulquiorra Schiffer

There is no better way to piss off Prince charming than getting rescued by the Villain of the story.

* * *

A hand was stroking her hair. A voice whispered in her ears that she was safe. Her eyelids fluttered open slowly. Her heart pounding in her chest was so loud. It was all coming back to her. The kidnapping. The garden. The fight on the bridge. She opened her eyes and tried to accommodate to the harsh lighting. She bolted upright.

"Ulquiorra? Ulquiorra?"

The hand froze in her hair. Orihime shuddered as she realized her mistake.

" It's not ... Ulquiorra. He is not here. I mean ... It's only me." Ichigo said.

"Sorry about that…"

"It's okay."

Ichigo sat down close to the door. Orihime smiled awkwardly. He was finally here. She, who thought she would never see him again. He was with her. He was trying to comfort her. He was here. She just ruined everything by blurting out Ulquiorra's name.

"So how are you doing?" Ichigo asked, his eyes blank.

She suspected he wanted to get over the awkwardness without addressing it and she was all willing to give it a try.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't fret it! He was there! He brought you back!"

"He did…"

Orihime could not find the words to tell that story. She couldn't put words on it yet. She waited for the feeling of discomfort to dissipate. She waited for the butterflies to take flight in her belly. But nothing ... Just that same disgusting sensation of having worms stirring in her stomach ... She was going to be sick. As if he was reading her mind, Ichigo handed her a basin. Orihime shook her head sadly, her eyes shining.

" So many things happened… I don't know where to start."

She really meant it. She didn't know where to start. Did all this started when Rukia gave him her powers or when she moved here with Sora? Did it start when Ulquiorra Schiffer gave her an ultimatum? She simply sighed.

"I understand. He saved your life. Uryū told me."

"He also… I want you to know that there was no way I would have helped them free Aizen."

"I know Orihime."

"No, I understand the kind of sacrifice you made. So, I would never have done that."

Ichigo's jaw clenched as he tried to rein in his temper. It was hard for him, just like he told Urahara, not to think it was all his fault.

" I… Now, Ulquiorra is dead and…"

At her words, she could not control the rise of her tears, and she started to cry. Ichigo knew he was supposed to do something and comfort her. But some dark parts of him wished that Ulquiorra would stay dead and if he could he would have ensured that. He fought with a lot of people. Byakuya, Kenpachi, Grimmjow or Gin, he could get past their previous quarrels. But Ulquiorra was something else altogether. he never got a sense of danger like this with anyone else. He knew how unlike him that sounded but he'd sleep better knowing Ulquiorra was back to being dead. Ichigo handed her some tissue he found on the coffee table. Orihime wiped her face. Ichigo stared at the tatami intently.

"Ichigo?"

"I am happy you are okay."

She nodded slowly. They locked eyes and at that crucial moment, Orihime remembered the kiss she shared with an Espada. She blushed.

"Maybe he is alive somewhere…"

The look of hope she gave him at that moment literally shredded his heart with shrapnel. Ichigo swallowed hard. What was wrong with him? He was jealous but it wasn't the worst part of it. He was especially jealous of Ulquiorra's abilities to fight, of the second chance he got Ichigo felt he didn't deserve. He was feeling sorry for himself, feeling as if they were all evolving in a world he no longer belongs to. There was nothing noble about his feelings at that moment.

"... Really, I want to believe... Listen, it's okay. I'm fine. I'm even ready to go home. Of course, Urahara-san said it would be a bad idea. But I'm fine." She stammered; her cheeks covered with scratches.

He brushed her face gently. She rushed into his arms. Losing almost his balance, Ichigo welcomed the young woman and hugged her tight.

" Is he really dead? I wonder…" she murmured softly in his neck.

His breath tickling her neck caused a shudder. Ichigo closed his eyes and tried forging some kind of resolution. This needed to stop. He just realized that either, he fought his way back, either he had to leave all his friends behind.

Orihime held onto Ichigo tighter. Why? He died once. Why couldn't she wrap her head around the fact that he was dead? Why could she not move past this?

She sighed, clinging to Ichigo's neck. At least when they were holding each other like that, she didn't have to explain herself.

The Espada had found a way to creep into her heart. How to explain that to Ichigo with words that will not hurt him. She didn't want to be misunderstood. She liked Ichigo even like this… Even now that he seems so hollow... to her... She liked him... His lips ... His lips were brushing hers tenderly.

Ichigo kissed her suddenly stopping the flow of their thoughts, shutting down their incessant chatter. He laid the last kiss on her neck. He was such an asshole. He needed to go see Rukia.

" I'm sure he escaped. He must be somewhere regenerating. That's what the Espadas do, right?" He said. "Don't worry so much."

Their eyes met again.

" I don't think he's the type to die so easily."

Although he wished he was. He was such a hypocrite. The redhead nodded slowly.

" Kuchiki-san ..."

" I don't know how she's doing exactly but Urahara said she's out of surgery."

"No. Ichigo, you have to go see Kuchiki-san. She saved my life too. They all did."

He nodded. Sure, it all sounded like a plan. Yet, he remembered arguing with Rukia and her telling him he trusted no one.

" Yes, I'll go there. Are you sure you don't need anything?"

She shook her head.

" No. No. I'm good. I'm doing great!"

"I'll come back… later…"

"Sure… but go see her. It's important."

She watched him walk out of the room with relief. His presence ... His presence was more than she could take. She deserved no consideration. She was sick because she was in love with that boy. Yet, she was incapable of being true to herself with him. She really likes him even knowing he was so conflicted about them. It was in little things, the way he held her, the way he also promptly let go of her. She could not think when Ichigo was so close to her. She could not think of her place in the universe when he was nearby. She was a star who only wanted to gravitate around him.

She opened her eyes. What was this? Huh? She staggered to the stairs that led to the basement. Orihime staggered on the stony path. She palpated the wall of rocks instinctively before it triggered the opening of a secret passage. There she found an elevator ... Orihime sighed. The doors closed with a metallic noise.

**"Kaikoroku 3000 at your service. Do you have an accreditation..."**

"What? No? Who said that..."

**"Accreditation is not necessary if you are a guest of Mr. Urahara. You will access via a guest profile. Are you a guest of Mr...Urahara...?"**

"The elevator is talking...Yes... I'm a guest! Are you an A.I?"

**"If you refer to artificial intelligence engineered by basic binary coding, as engineered by humans, I am not. I have a level of consciousness vastly superior. I navigate other planes of existence just as I am talking to you right now. "**

"Oh! I am sorry. I didn't mean to..."

**"I am the most knowledgeable database in the Universe connected to a unique server gathering information and data on every spirit and form of energy created. I am Urahara's Kisuke's most extraordinary creation."**

"I didn't know..."

**"Of course, he likes to brag about that useless stone..."**

"You mean the Hogyouku."

**"Are you a fan?"**

"No, not at all. Nice to meet you, Kaikoroku. I am Orihime."

**"I know who you are better than you probably know yourself. You are Kurosaki Ichigo's friend... I am sorry I wanted to tell you more about yourself. But, I am being summoned right now."**

Ding. The door opened on her new level. Kisuke was standing behind the door.

"Sorry, Orihime! Don't ever do that again! Don't you know the meaning behind the word 'secret access', Kaikoroku?"

**"You didn't specifically forbid me to help this human. When I told you she triggered the door, you just told me to send the elevator upstairs for her."**

"Right... She can't keep anything a secret. Orihime, welcome! I wondered how long it would take you to discover my little secret."

Orihime narrowed her eyes to adjust to the light. Kisuke Urahara put her arm under his for support.

"I installed a reiatsu jamming device. My invention. It scrambles the waves of reiatsu on the surface. This is not as radical as a reiatsu inhibitor. It's more like changing perfume. But I suppose that apart from Ichigo, it cannot really deceive anyone. Not this close range at least.

"It is..."

She scanned the huge room. It was even bigger than the training base. Kisuke Urahara had set up a real industrial-scale laboratory in the basement of his shop.

He guided her through the shelves.

"Ulquiorra..."

Maintained in stasis, Ulquiorra floated in a cylinder of transparent and phosphorescent liquid reishi.

"I did not think it would be a good idea to warn the Gotei of his presence. They always practice zero tolerance for all that is hollow and Arrancar.

His mask had been broken in half under the impact. A scar ran horizontally from his left eye to his ear, zigzagging along his temples. The cranial trauma he had suffered was slowly subsiding. His black hair was pushing even more sharply around the crack. Urahara shaved the left side to install monitoring electrode on him since Urahara found it preoccupying that his helmet continued to erode while in the reishi cylinder.

" He is alive."

Orihime took a few feverish steps towards the tube.

"As alive as an Arrancar can be, yes. But he lost a lot of reiatsu. Yoruichi found him entangled in the bed of the river and he showed no sign of "life". She brought him back here before Soul Society sent reinforcements. His metabolism has also undergone changes since the settings recorded during his last fight with Ichigo. I was able to confirm that he was brought back to life by the Primeros called Rigor Mortis and somehow "cloned" by Moon Darthcross. In both cases, the information I could get from him will help me know exactly what they did to you, what they are looking for, but also how to counter them. The only factor of concern is about his deteriorating mask. His stats are contradictory. I don't get it."

"He is alive."

From Urahara's speech, she had retained only one thing. Orihime burst into tears. He saved her life. He had just saved her life. And ... he found himself ... She staggered again before falling on her knees in front of the cylinder.

Kisuke raised an eyebrow briefly before turning his head. A scratching mark running the length of her left leg, Yoruichi crossed her arms, leaning on a crutch. She winked in his direction mischievously. They were partners-in-crime for life.

Orihime sat down, her back to the tube. She closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.

Kisuke sat before his giant computer. There were only three of those in the universe.

**"Kisuke Urahara. Shall I synchronize data with the Seireitei now?"**

"No. Now is the time to show me you can keep a secret. I will not authorize any data transmission until further notice. All this must remain between us. Meanwhile, I want you to show me any information you have on Hollows and Arrancar's metabolism."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = Behind the man


	32. Behind the man

* * *

**Kuchiki Byakuya**

Captain of the sixth division

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Born with barely the rudiment of social graces, he knew he was useless around women. His ultimate talent was faking enough confidence to lure innocent and generous creatures like Hisana into his net. Yet, even that proved to be difficult a task.

* * *

It was well into the afternoon when Byakuya Kuchiki woke up. Blinds filtered the last rays of sunlight and the atmosphere of his room was very quiet. He could still feel Captain Unohana's aura and a medical tray had been abandoned next to his bed. Byakuya grunted as he straightened up, touching his bandages softly. Of course, he remembered losing that fight. He remembered ... Rukia?

He had to check on her.

Byakuya struggled a bit but managed to stand on his legs. He staggered to the door but didn't make it far before bumping in that medical tray. He took another deep breath before trying again. Several sutures reopened immediately. Clenching his jaw at the sudden pain, he sat down again.

He had not felt this bad since his fight with Ichigo Kurosaki. That fight wasn't even that bad since he didn't consider it a complete failure. But this, it was mortifying the way he allowed himself to be dominated by his emotions, had miscalculated the situation, and had paid dearly for the consequences. The mission that Captain Yamamoto had given him was very simple. Watch over Karakura. Do not let the city fall into the hands of the enemy. Retrieve Orihime Inoue. It's not like he got any of these done.

Byakuya scratched his head and stood back up. That was enough self-indulgence for today. His fist clenched on the haori hung on the valet near the door. He put it on with a grimace, completely ignoring the tugging of his wounds. He was a captain. He would regenerate quickly. More importantly, he was used to that kind of pain. Mistakes sometimes could be made. There was no fleeing his responsibility. The most important thing was for him to identify the problem, deal with it accordingly and move on. He took a deep breath. The signs of his annoyance disappeared behind the mask of his nobility. He brushed aside the shoji door gracefully and walked down the hallway, his head held high, his steps regal.

He thought of his sister as he left the room. He could sense her reiatsu sizzling evenly in the air even though the scent of blood was heavy. It's like the mansion had been transformed into a hospital for the occasion.

He had to see Rukia. He had been careless. For a moment, he wondered if training her and allowing her to access a seat had been a good idea after all. He promised his wife long ago that he would take care of her, protect her… How would he explain that he got it wrong again? How would he explain that he had lost sight of Rukia because he had been watching another woman's steps?

At the same time, he thought of the time they spend in each other's company these past months. Rukia's enthusiasm every morning and how she was so happy that she got a seat he was the first she wanted to share this news with. He was reminded of her warmth when they held onto each other that other night and how she came to trust him completely and be open about her feelings. It was the story of two strangers that became a family and it would be a lie if he said it didn't matter to him.

Byakuya froze as he remembered the frenzied panic last night when the fourth division and a bunch of Kuchiki officials arrived in Karakura at the same time. Apparently, Yamamoto engaged the protocol "Yellow gates" for him or Rukia. It wasn't clear at this point, making it known one of them was close to his passing. Of course, the family would have sent its own people to check this information. That is why the house was currently filled to the brim with people, officers of the fourth, fifth and sixth division, his clansmen and their guards, his team of lawyers and several central 46 officials. There were also a number of people from the 12th division who joined the surgical team.

Byakuya entered a hallway where a Kuchiki family guard was posted at each extremity. They parted on his way. The others must have sensed that he wasn't really in the mood for a chat because no one dared to talk to him. The family had brought lawyers in traditional garments as part of the "Yellow Gates" protocol. Initially, he thought it was for him. But since he always took care of updating his will before he left on a mission, it soon became clear, that Rukia's situation was what worried them. He designated her his sole heir just like he told Ginrei he would. If Byakuya's succession was a done deal, it became apparent last night that Rukia's last wishes were what they were after. If something had happened to Him then to Rukia without a will, there would be a vacuum of power that could end up destabilizing the family. So, they wanted Rukia to draft papers with them before she went in the surgery. She was barely conscious at the time and Byakuya himself was on the verge of passing out. But there was no way, he'd left her alone with them, knowing he hadn't prepared her for this. She was staring at him with wide violet eyes, so reminiscent of her sister Hisana, when they presented her with the mountain of papers she had to sign.

Indeed, he never shared that part of his duty with Rukia or with anyone, how many assets the family had in the Seireitei and the living world combined or how many people the head of the family was responsible for. Because yes, their company was publicly traded in Tokyo since 1968. There was also his duty to the Soul king as the head of a noble house and his duty to his clansmen, deciding alliances and maintaining order. To be honest, it was at that moment that he realized how much of a burden he was putting on her shoulders. He remembered how Rukia looked at him with a tired smile, gave him a reassuring wink and obediently nodded to anything his advisors said, acting every bit like a true Kuchiki.

But when Byakuya realized she was doing all of that, while she was hemorrhaging on her bed, he suddenly lost his temper, broke a chair maybe two (he didn't remember) and throw everyone out. He stood watch outside the OR until 4th seat Yamada, told him Rukia's surgery was successful and that they were hopeful she will eventually regain the use of her damaged hand. He explained that they used a new Reishi therapy on her. It was cutting-edge and their first try had been on Momo Hinamori with positive results. Honestly, he vaguely recalled that part. It's only when he heard his sister was going to be fine that Byakuya allowed his body to give in and he passed out.

In a room on his right, Hinamori Momo was changing Terashima's bandages. They were chatting quietly about the moods of their respective zanpakutō. Momo turned in his direction and smiled. A light that had been missing recently was back in her eyes. Byakuya simply nodded and closed the sliding doors without a word.

Rukia was resting in Suki Ichinose's room. He hesitated for a minute on the threshold and quietly approached the bed. The massive four-poster bed attracted his attention immediately with its polished hardwood and intricate ornaments lined with golden floral embossment and with… Was that Reiasekki? It's been a long time he saw any Reiasekki in Soul Society outside of the three most invaluable pieces in the vault of the Kuchiki family. His great-grandmother had a ring ornated with barely two stones of Reiasekki and it was already considered one of the most expensive pieces of jewelry in the Kuchiki collection which by definition was in itself the most important collection in Soul Society outside of the Shihouin artifact collection. Reiasekki was a derivative of Sekkiseki, it took the form of a white reflective gem, close in aspect to diamond and zirconium. It was extremely light but extremely difficult to cut. If Sekkiseki was present in large quantities within Soul Society, Reisekki was almost impossible to find there. When Sekkiseki altered one's Reiryoku if present in great quantities, one stone of this could absorb or release impossible quantities of spiritual power. It could be used for its healing properties. It could be used as a source of heat. It had so many unique properties. He examined the pattern used on that bed and realized that it was so unique, it was probably custom-made. The captain of the fifth division traveled everywhere with her own princess bed. What to say about that?

Nothing for now. Rukia was sleeping soundly. Ichinose-Taicho was probably at the initiative of this exchange. Byakuya pulled the covers off his sister abruptly. There was not a part of Rukia's battered body that was not wrapped in bandages. But her hand was there. Only a few blemishes still adorned her face. Byakuya lifted Rukia's hand carefully and weighed it in his. She gave a low moan. The bone was broken in several places, but it was back in her cast and her nerves were no longer torn and mangled. An unsightly scar was already running from her wrist to her forearm. Yet, she was healing incredibly fast for someone whose hand had been all but shredded to pieces by an explosion just yesterday. It was probably thanks to the Reiasekki bed.

He remembered now just before they were deployed on this mission, Hinamori Momo came in his division for him to approve the transfer of certain necessities. It was a four-page document and he thought most of it was kitchen related, with different pans and hot pans making the list. He didn't remember signing on a four-poster queen-size bed made of Reiasekki. But it seemed it was all for good. Because if anything he read was true, this was probably the reason why Rukia was expected to make a quick and speedy recovery. Obviously, she couldn't stay in that bed for too long since only captain level shinigami and above could withstand more than a night in such close vicinity with reiasekki. This was a bed made for royalty. He was not even sure he could bear with it in Rukia's place. He sat down on the edge and he immediately felt the soothing sensation traveled his spine. He watched as every open gash on his sculpted stomach closed again in a few seconds, his skin even. Looks like he could get used to this… He smiled unwillingly. He could perfectly imagine Suki sleeping lazily here, laying on a mountain of pillows, having her incredible amount of reiatsu absorbed daily, blissfully unaware. She was an exceptionally complicated being. Byakuya frowned remembering how she transferred to him enough spiritual power "to resuscitate the dead" on her first try. He sighed, his eyes on the ceiling. Despite all this, she hardly defeated her opponent.

Rukia rolled on her side with a purr. Byakuya looked down at her and carefully stroke her hair. There was only one thing that Kuchiki-sama didn't know how to do, it was healing people. Yes, he made a strange admission to himself by admitting to being overwhelmed when one of his was wounded or sick. He remembered seeing Hisana sick or realizing Shane was missing an eye. He couldn't blame Keikosuki that much because it's been a long time, he tried transferring his reiatsu to anyone. He never knew how to take care of the sick and the weak. He sat down with his sister's tiny hand trapped in his for a few minutes as he watched her sleep. Rukia was incredibly lucky. The question remained what will happen next time she is not.

Leaning on the balustrade on the first floor, he swallowed hard. He almost expected to find her in her kitchen. But Suki Ichinose was in the living room alone in front of the communication screen, facing Yamamoto. She changed her kimono but each of her steps left red prints on the carpet. Her wounds were still fresh under her spare clothes. Didn't she get any rest since last night? The imprint of barbarous fingers decorated her neckline like a tacky necklace. Her upper lip was also slit.

"Thanks to the quick intervention of Captain Unohana and her troops, we don't have any tragic casualty to report. Fourth Seat Kuchiki Rukia is out of danger. Both my lieutenant and the sixth division lieutenant are recovering too. Orihime Inoue regained consciousness and was entrusted to the good care of Urahara Kisuke and Yoruichi Shihouin."

"You fought "without limits" and you still won a half-hearted victory." Yamamoto lied without blinking.

Keikosuki didn't see the difference.

" If any mistakes were made I take full responsibilities for them."

"The enemy is definitely stronger than we previously estimated. But you did well for your first mission. We must be wary of these Primeros. That's the only assessment we can draw from this. What about the Fourth Espada?"

Suki looked apologetic as she shook her head.

"He is still missing."

"This worried me a little. This Espada is known for its cunning and devious ways. In no way, it can be considered a potential ally too quickly."

" Kisuke Urahara swore to me that security would be strengthened around Orihime. I didn't know what to tell him. Her powers are still intact though greatly weakened it seemed. It appears that whatever they came looking for, they succeeded. I'm sorry, I feel like this is all my fault, General."

Yamamoto nodded.

"War is never simply written in books. It must be fought. It must be lived, Ichinose-Taicho. Kuchiki is still out?"

She nodded.

"Unohana stayed a couple of hours with him after he passed out. His situation was critical for a while but…"

"She told me you tried a healing technique to revive him…"

"Yes, I tried but I'm not sure it made a difference."

"He is alive."

" Kuchiki-taicho is rather stubborn… He persisted above his strength. We were fortunate that Unohana-taicho was there to take over. When she said he was going to be fine, I was so relieved."

She bowed again gracefully.

" You all did your best. You seem to have the situation in hand, Captain Ichinose."

" Everyone has been particularly cooperative so far."

" To face the enemy, we will probably need all the available forces. As soon as things get under control here, I will reassess the situation about your return."

" I understand, Sotaicho."

"Very well, Captain. When Captain Kuchiki is ready, I would like him to report back to me."

" I will tell him."

She turned to leave and finally noticed Byakuya's presence. He descended the stairs with so much grace and dignity. It was hard to believe she thought he was gonna slip away just hours earlier. She watched him, her heart pounding. That stubborn man...

A shiver ran down her neck. He came to a stop before her. She kept her eyes focused on the ground. His wounds were reopened. Even before she opened her mouth, he sent such a wave of spiritual power in her direction that she could only get out of his way without a word. She simply greeted him with a nod.

Byakuya did not comment on her disheveled look. Suki's wounds were still raw, her face bruised. Blue welts decorated her neck. It was a thousand details that he would have wanted to ignore. Byakuya Kuchiki wanted at this moment to be able to detach his eyes from the silhouette of Ichinose-dono. It was what, after all, had almost caused his loss.

"Ah! Captain Kuchiki! It's good to see you're in one piece. I see you've been recovering."

"I have been in good care, Sotaicho."

"That's natural indeed. What can you tell me about their fighting techniques? Very well, Keikosuki-chan. Good job overall. You are dismissed."

As soon as Yamamoto said that, Suki bowed and left the room. The seventh seat of the fourth division, Hanatarou Yamada, came out of the kitchen wearing a ridiculous lace apron with "yellow ducks and pink hearts" pattern.

"Ichinose-Taicho, you must let me examine you!"

" I'm fine."

She went up the stairs quickly. But Hanatarou followed her there.

" I'll go take a look at Hinamori. Take care of Rukia-San. Make sure she doesn't need anything."

" But Unohana-Taicho made me promise. This is the protocol." Hanatarou moaned.

"Don't take it the wrong way, Hanatarou-chan! You're very nice and you look great with an apron. But I don't like doctors!"

"Ichinose-Taicho!"

His interview with Yamamoto was expedited fast enough. Yes, the Primeros were strong with extremely durable Hierro. Captain-level of strong. And yes, he was ungracefully defeated by their leader, the only one with a resurrection. Would he have done anything differently? Everything. Did he believe they were coming back? He could not pronounce himself.

Byakuya crossed the corridors of the pavilion, his steps more hesitant, as fatigue was being felt. Peeking at Rukia as he passed by, he noticed that the bay window in her room was open, letting through a treacherous breeze. He closed the bay before going out again. He found himself unaware of how to stand in front of the door ajar in Rukia's old room, currently Keikosuki's. With enough time to gather his senses, he masked his reiatsu. He's been quite indelicate and rough earlier. He could just apologize to her. Better, he'd commend her for her leadership after the battle. Thus, it would show that he was taking note of her efforts and that his opinion of her had changed without him having to actually say it.

" Ichinose-Taicho? You are still bleeding. Your Kimono is stained."

Suki shrugged.

"Oh it's certainly not my favorite kimono, I agree with you. I will change immediately, thank you."

"That's not what I said! You are wounded!"

" Oh, that! It will heal on its own. I don't feel anything."

" It's impossible that you do not feel anything. The wound is deep. I can see your articulation… It went through the muscle."

" I'm hungry. Are you hungry? I will make a fine chocolate cake, Hanatarou-chan. Very simple. I'd also make a soup for Rukia-chan and the others. Fighting makes you hungry, I'm sure!"

" Ichinose-Taicho! Stop moving, please. You make it difficult for me to examine you!"

Byakuya glanced quickly into the room. Hanatarou was fidgeting around Suki with rolls of bandages. The laughter of the latter was filling the air.

"Please let me do that, Ichinose-Taicho?"

"Are you sure you're a doctor? Cause I don't like doctors! But you're so funny, Hanatarou-chan!"

"Stop moving."

"But I'm okay…"

"My finger is currently touching your bone… That's unnatural. I need to suture the wound."

"No needle. I will die. It will hurt."

"If you don't feel me touching your bone, you can't feel the needle? Wait, how can't you feel me touching your bone?"

"I feel it! I feel it now! It hurts! Take this needle away!"

"Ichinose-taicho, the needle isn't in yet."

"Tell me when it's in because it hurts now. You're hurting Suki!"

"Ichinose-taicho… don't be like that?"

"I'm dying… It hurts…"

"But you said it didn't hurt earlier…"

"…but now it hurts. I'm probably dying… You're killing me!"

"I'm sorry I am so useless I cannot help you, Ichinose-Dono.

Byakuya shook his head at this comedic scene. No, he had not changed his mind about the most important thing. She didn't belong on a battlefield. Hanatarou burst into tears, seemingly agreeing with Byakuya.

"Oh Hanatarou-chan, don't cry! You'll make Suki cry!"

"But I can't be of use, Suki-taicho! I'm so sorry!"

They were both crying now. What a pair of tremendous idiots?!

"I'm sorry. It's ok. Here! Here I am naked!"

She undid her obi and dropped her Kimono on the floor. Her almost transparent negligee leaving little room for imagination, Hanatarou became as red as Byakuya's cheeks. Nevertheless, as those two were faced with a "fait accompli", neither one of them could make up their minds to stop staring.

" Ichinose-Taicho! It's too much !"

"I thought I was helping! You should see your face! Are you gonna be ok?"

With a mischievous laugh, she wriggled her rear under Hanatarou's nose. The boy closed his eyes, stepped back. Hanatarou remained frozen like a stone statue.

" Hanatarou-san, I was just joking? Please don't die on me!"

Eyes closed, Hanatarou dressed his patient as best as he could before collapsing again in a poodle of nosebleed. Suki dressed quickly and fanned the young boy's flushed face with her tessen.

" Hanatarou-san? I will tell Unohana-taicho that you did an excellent job. But really, I'm fine. I only have superficial wounds. I don't really feel a thing. Rukia-San needs you to change her bandages. She still needs a lot of care. Just go and help her."

" Very good, Ichinose-Taicho."

Hanatarou picked up what was left of dignity on the floor before he exited the room.

Byakuya disappeared in a shunpo, landing in the garden breathlessly. The effort had asked for resources he did not have.

"Did you have a good time, stalker?

He turned to Suki behind him, wide-eyed. How could she have been ahead of him?

"You thought that by hiding your reiatsu, I would not notice your presence. This nose is not only used to find mushrooms during the fall season."

Byakuya swallowed hard. Suki oscillated dangerously before him. He flinched. She put an arm under his waist to arrest his fall.

" Are you okay?" She asked softly.

He recovered quickly. Blushing, he put some distance between them.

"Yet you have not shown modesty." He retorted, ignoring her concern.

"You are a voyeur. What's the point of fighting you? You will always find a way to satisfy your nasty habit. We, suki-chans are used to dealing with your kind."

A drop of sweat appeared on Byakuya's forehead. He felt a new headache. Who did she think she was talking to?

"What are you accusing me of?"

She shrugged. Having a household filled with young beauties had always been difficult for the Ichinose. Her father had to fend off stalkers, pervert, and voyeurs for as long as Suki could remember. It wasn't that big of a deal to her.

He went to a bench. What's the point of being too proud? He was tired. Dealing with Keikosuki Ichinose was grueling a task. This woman was so exhausting.

"If you like me, just say it, Kuchiki-sama. I like you too."

She nodded vividly; her olive eyes imbued with a certain candor. He did not know if she was making fun of him or if she was serious. He preferred to believe that she was making fun of him.

" I see…"

He shook his head in disbelief.

"You think that I harbor some affection for you."

" We are colleagues. We are ... How do you say in military jargon? Brothers in arms ... That would be natural, and I would understand it.

Brothers in arms? She... and him ... She who had been wearing the haori for only half a day. The left eyebrow of Byakuya Kuchiki twitched furiously. He made sure to remain neutral, you couldn't laugh in the face of stupidity. This little idiot?

"You are still deluded. After a day like today ... Have you not learned anything?"

She widened her eyes again and then lowered her head to the ground. She frowned, visibly troubled. But what was she doing here? Byakuya wondered for at least the umpteenth time.

She sniffed sadly and he could sense the first signs of female hysteria appear in her eyes. Oh, no tears! Byakuya stared at the floor.

"Yes, I know! I am responsible!" She confessed. "I am not presumptuous enough to regard the outcome of this battle as a victory. I am well aware that I lacked responsiveness and that I caused you harm. I'm probably not worthy of being captain, you've unmasked me."

" I unmasked you from the very first day." He added.

She nodded again.

" Yes, it's true. You saw right through me, Kuchiki-sama."

She took a few steps on the lawn.

"I don't like war. I hate fighting ... I did not want to be a captain anyway. My father made me do this. Well, it's complicated. You would not understand."

He raised his head. Complicated ? It was not so for Byakuya Kuchiki. She just had to step down and get out of his life ...

Well, she just had to resign. She did not have to perform the latter. He sighed his thoughts in disarray again.

" You should..."

" I know. All right, Kuchiki-sama. There is no affection between us. No friendships. Very well. As soon as all this is over, I will quit anyway."

Byakuya did not expect her to yield so easily. He almost didn't catch the bitterness that surrounded her words.

"You will resign?"

" I will submit my resignation to the Sotaicho. If I leave now in full crisis, Hinamori will not be able to assume alone my charge."

That sounded almost wise. Byakuya stared a minute at her retreating form before he followed her like a man possessed.

"Kuchiki-sama, I said I was going to do it!"

"I'm hungry."

Suki turned to him; her eyes filled with stars. Did he really say that?

"Did you just said what I think you just said?"

"This is not much. You fed me before…"

She frowned. Ah! That memory of hers! That was going to be a problem.

"When?"

"Nevermind."

"No… No… I will make anything you want. Just ask…"

"Surprise me…"

She was grinning and blushing now, both hands holding her plump cheeks as if he just told her something charming. How strange a creature!

" I don't know… I don't want to make a mistake… What if you don't like it… I will lose my bet and pride forever… It will be a total failure… I will die of shame… I will be buried in the woods…"

At least, that woman always kept her priorities up.

"Keikosuki… You will be fine. Just make something…"

She shook her head, having a strange internal monologue, her hand clutching her chest.

"I'm not so sure… but I can't let you starve… You're just flesh and bones… What a painful death! But at the same time… what if you don't like what I make… What if I fail this recipe…Oh! Oh! But what if I succeed?! Would you be indebted to me for life? Or just for a few days… What to do?"

He was about to turn heels on her and go back to his bed.

"Oh! That's it! I know exactly what to do! There is this recipe I learned from my father… It's the one he makes when we get hurt… It has healing properties… Perfect for you!"

Byakuya was a bit annoyed because this woman was about to make him laugh and he was working hard on keeping his composure. But how come she took this so seriously when she couldn't even fight seriously? She looked like a sumotori ready to enter some kind of arena, hand on her hips, ready to tackle all obstacles in front of her.

" I will make Motsunabe… A very spicy one just for you… I suspect you're an earthly person."

"Technically we all are…" He said sarcastically.

"No, I mean your basic element is earth. You're stubborn and full of pride. You're averse to change. You're almost as immovable as a rock. Born with strong opinions and just as strong ties to this world… You have the worst temper underlying all this. You say the meanest things just because you care. You must love deeply... Your roots are incredibly important to you. Something to do with your upbringing... The death of one's parents... will do that to you also... You are reliable though. Passionate but cold. That's it. Earth is definitely your element."

Byakuya remained speechless. Was that the way she saw him? How did she know all of this all of a sudden?

"Sorry, I got carried away. My father always taught us that cooking was something to be taken seriously. While cooking one has to respect the seven principles."

Byakuya frowned as she expertly sliced her vegetables extremely thin in a matter of seconds without looking. Then, she arranged the radishes in the most sophisticated garland. That woman could use a blade.

"There is the theory of numbers. You should always scrupulously count the number of major ingredients you put into a dish for it to be visually pleasant and edible. That number should remain under ten, and it can never be a paired number simply because symmetry does not exist in cuisine. It is the enemy of perfection. Prime numbers are genuinely favored." She finished with an air of infinite wisdom.

Strings of vegetables were jumping acrobatically in the air as she cut them with such expertise it looked like a strange aerial ballet. His jaw slacked open as she picked up shitake mushrooms and green onions one by one, smelled them so sensually, and dispose of them. The passion she was demonstrating right now was purely… obscene.

"The most exciting theory of all…. is about color and texture… It is as important as the nature of your ingredients. Color and texture bring different nutrients into a dish and it holds the interest of the eater longer which is important for chewing and mastication. The more fascinated your eater will be with the intricacies of your dish, the more time he will take to savor… and appreciate… Hence the more time he will have to absorb each essential nutrient. 'Do not forget Suki, my father used to say, that food is about nurturing and healing a soul."

She put down the pan dramatically as the vegetables crackled and danced inside. She dropped a cup of rice wine and braised meat on a giant flame meanwhile she was boiling vegetables in a hot pot.

"There is the theory of balance which looks at a variety of cooking methods to prevent boredom for both the cook and the eater but it's also the best way to maximize the preservation of nutrients. Oh and Suki darling, he also said, there is the theory of the five flavors… I bet it will be your favorite. Sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and bitter, it helps a cook fix a dish that is out of balance. Balance is everything. The taste is everything. It should bring you somewhere, make you pack in your mind and travel far… It is in those unpredictable combinations that the true genius of a cook can be found. "

She slowly brought the spoon to her lips to taste, her eyes close, in obvious delight. Was she going to share that spoon with him? There was no way she would dare he thought. Yet, he was clearly disappointed when she didn't.

"Then great cooks are all about substance, flavor and strength, Kuchiki-sama. It is the art of making an impact. The substance is the bodyweight of the dish, its thickness or thinness. It's how delicate or how filling it can be in one's mouth. It is the warm homey feeling it conveys. It is also the cold endorsement of sophistication which makes you feel special. It is a unique feeling each time."

Byakuya licked his lips slowly.

"Flavor comes from ingredient choice; It is intellect and a bit of science. I'm not gonna lie. It's hard work. See, some ingredients bring taste like garlic and ginger, citrus or wasabi, others negate the taste… like rice or water... Strength is the quantity of any ingredient and how long will they be printed into your mind after you've eaten them… How this ingredient will affect the next bite! How you will remember them after you swallowed them is all part of the process. See, these three attributes are connected together. Change the substance of something too thick by adding more liquid, and it will alter the strength of flavor. That is science…"

He only paid attention to the way her lips moved animatedly and how much the light would catch her purple-green eyes.

"There is the penultimate step. It is one of the most important theories of all. It is the last theory I studied with my father. It's what it takes to become a master. This one isn't teach in culinary school… It is the fundamental theory of Elements… In a lot of ways, Cooking is like fighting. It takes all five philosophical elements into account. Air, Water, Earth, Fire… Spirit… You're an earthly person that's why I know you will like the spice I'm adding right now. It is essential to know how to use this knowledge to one's advantages. It is what will make this dish pure magic."

"You said… Seven rules…"

She shrugged.

"Sorry, I have not made it this far in my learning."

"It's impossible… You… The greatest cook of all time…" Byakuya teased.

She was stunned. He had a teasing side.

"Keep being smart, Kuchiki-sama… and you won't be fed tonight."

"Said the woman selling me her food as a magical dish."

"Well, Sir, I will have you know that my father's dishes had a reputation for their healing properties and his creative use of ingredients. He could do whatever… He knew all the seven stages… He was that strong… He is that strong. He is the best cook of all time…"

"Really?"

"For instance, I remember him telling me a story about poisoning a very unstoppable and formidable enemy…"

"That is easy with the right ingredients or lack of skills, I suppose." Byakuya cut in ironically.

"No, it was a perfectly safe meal. But to that person, due to a peculiar combination of elements, and my father's amazing skills, it became like poison on his tongue… It sent him into the deepest slumber and all my father's comrades had to do was hack him into pieces and send him far away. That's magic."

Byakuya smirked which was an incredibly weird sight on him. She was killing his resolve. He was struggling to keep a straight face. 

"You incredibly naïve creature!"

Finally, he burst into laughter and Suki gasped. He could laugh. His handsome feature illuminated with such light it was blinding her. That man had a sense of humor. It didn't last long however and he was back to smirking knowingly just like he did when they were kids. She gulped, her mouth suddenly dry.

"It's the Shinkōshokuō tale. The story of the Red king… the King of Hueco Mundo…"

She frowned, her cheeks pink. Byakuya went on.

"My father told me that story when I was very young and impressionable. There was a time I was fascinated with such a tale of heroism and camaraderie. I dedicated so many hours of research in the Kuchiki archives when I was just a boy… but nothing substantiated the idea that this was anything more than a tale to put children to sleep."

"You don't believe in Shinkōshokuō?" She asked, her cheeks round.

He shook his head.

"Nope… There was never a King in Hueco Mundo, just those useless annoying creatures…"

She put a finger before her luscious lips, shushing him.

"You know he can still come into your room while you sleep, kidnap you and turn you into his zombie slave…"

She looked adorable when she said that.

"If you think about it, it makes no sense if your father actually poisoned him with a bowl of soup, Suki."

"I was easily scared as a kid!"

"I wouldn't have guessed."

"You're being mean… and rude."

"Wrong. I am captivated. By you." He said with a wicked grin.

"Here, your bowl of soup, Sir." She said, peeved.

He grinned even more. Suki scowled, really irritated that Byakuya could just crush a part of her childhood with his nasty beliefs.

"You're too kind."

"You're a little different... A little too relaxed… It's odd."

" So, I'm not an open book. What else is new? Do you want to know what I think about this or not?"

Fortunately for Byakuya, a Suki-chan was easily distracted. She jumped onto a stool on the other side of the island, inviting him to do the same.

"Yes, please… Have a taste…"

Perfect.

He simply nodded and sat on the stool in the kitchen, the sunset in the background. Byakuya was not gonna lie, when she put down that steaming bowl of Motsunabe in front of him, he tried hard to contain his sense of anticipation, because it smelled like heaven in a bowl. Yes, this ridiculous creature was that good. But in a decidedly teasing mood, he took deliberately slow steps to sit down. Just for the sake of that woman's pride, obviously, she needed her ego to be kept in check, he took forever to take his first bite. His first mouthful was just as she said an explosion of color, texture, and flavor, and an instant journey toward memory lane. He was reminded when he was young and playing with his cousins in the woods juxtaposing the Kuchiki estate. It was delicious and pure perfection. At the end of his first mouthful, he found his personal reward, a tinge of a spicy inferno. She was studying him quietly and he was suddenly afraid that he gave away already how much he liked her… No, we mean… How much he liked her cooking obviously.

"So, what do you think?"

Damn that woman! He stared into her eyes intently.

"Kuchiki-sama, I'm dying here… Tell me."

 _If you like me, just say it, Kuchiki-Sama._ How could he say such embarrassing things aloud? The only woman he had ever loved was dead. Suki did not leave him indifferent. It was already the beginning of a confession. She ... She was ... surprisingly resourceful. She was vulnerable and fragile like any woman in his eyes. But there was so much strength below the surface. A force that the interested party did not even seem to measure. She was a woman who didn't seem to understand how special she was. She annoyed him with her futile chatter most of the time because he realized ... that he liked hearing her talk. He had realized with horror that he listened to every word she said. She was constantly under his eyes playing with his senses. She was the one who was playing with him and his feelings. She was so cruel. She did not see him. He finished eating, putting down his chopsticks slowly.

"Kuchiki-sama…"

His face was back to be neutral.

"Well, it was alright." He lied.

She frowned.

"Really? Just alright."

He shrugged. He realized more than anything he was having the time of his life, looking at her unhappy face.

"Better than I thought it would turn to be honest. You can be proud." He rose from his chair slowly. 

Suki frowned, disappointed. This was not nearly enough devotion to her Suki-chan's craft, she thought. Something was not right. Byakuya thought she was about to cry but she just stood there.

"That is strange. I must have missed an ingredient."

He nodded innocently.

"Probably." He said, his heart leaping in his chest. He was having too much fun with that woman. She turned to him with big eyes and a big smile.

"I will surely do better next time and Kuchiki-sama will have no choice but to fall in love with my cuisine. Goodnight."

That's the spirit! He said nothing though, simply staring at her retreating silhouette. He counted ten sheep getting over a fence in his head. She stopped and stood for a couple of seconds, swaying like a boat in a storm, before falling backward. Byakuya was there to swoop in and lift her. He knew this was bound to happen with her spending so much energy. They were very much like an old couple really? How wonderful!

Could he say that he had affection for her? No. She did not have any for him anyway. To her, he was just a boring old noble. He knew this needed to stop. He could not afford to build a relationship or become too attached. She was absolutely not built for this life as surely as Unohana belonged to her clinic. Suki had to stay in her kitchen doing what she loved the most. She was a little heavier than what he remembered, probably because he was so exhausted. He gave her his bed and let Hinamori do the rest.

He walked downstairs again; his steps deliberately slowed. The portal was open and Jūshirō Ukitake was greeting a couple of emissaries and guards. He wasn't surprised. The captain of the 13th division was probably here to see Rukia.

"Oh Byakuya, you're awake. It's great. Where's Suki-chan?"

Byakuya waited for the other man to catch up with him before he invited him to join him in the conference room.

"Is it important? Ichinose-taicho is resting, Rukia too."

Jūshirō hesitated. Byakuya noticed for the first time, the stern expression on his face.

"Did you come with a purpose?"

Jūshirō paced anxiously.

" The commander sent me. Something happened to Keikosuki's father yesterday."

Byakuya frowned.

"He is… He is gone…"

"What do you mean?"

"We believe he committed suicide."

Byakuya opened his eyes in stupefaction.

"Where is she?"

"She just fell asleep…"

"I have instructions, Byakuya..."

Byakuya waited. Jūshirō seldom addressed him by his first name these days. He usually did it to appeal to his softer side and ask for some indulgence.

"For some reasons, Yamamoto-sotaicho doesn't want her to know…yet."

Byakuya only glared in his direction and Jūshirō could only raise his hands in a peace gesture. He was only the messenger.

"Can I see Rukia?"

"Why you have some other obituaries you want to deliver at this late hour?"

Jūshirō bit his lips sheepishly. He probably deserved that. Yet, he had to admit he wasn't expected that fiery rebuttal from the captain of the sixth division who had a reputation to never question orders from above. Ukitake also thought that the Sotaicho's request was a bit out there, unusual, somewhat disturbing on an ethical level. They could all put themselves in Suki-chan's shoes and this was actually a soldier's worst nightmare, having trouble back home. Thankfully his parents were old unsuspecting aristocrats, the kind that sat on their porch watching watermelons grew in their field. He was the Benjamin of the family with six brothers, the only one born with a decent reiatsu. His brothers were merchant, farmers, and doctors, the kind that only take time to make children and discuss the weather. His parents sometimes got lonely when he didn't visit, and they would send letters and care boxes filled with candies he would share with Toshiro. Yet, their fifteen grandchildren generally kept them busy enough so Jūshirō didn't have to worry too much about them.

"You knew her father?" Byakuya suddenly asked.

"Shunsui and I were too young at the academy to remember him properly. I knew him by reputation… He was already zero division when we graduated… But one day, it's true, I saw him in action."

"Yes, he was an excellent cook… I heard." Byakuya said impatiently as he was getting ready to leave the room.

"No, I saw him descend from heaven and slay in cold blood the young man who broke his daughter's heart. This Suki upstairs. He destroyed the poor soul, leaving him no chance for resurrection. He was not a joke. That's when I learned why we don't see them…"

"Who?"

"The Zero division… We never see them after they ascend. It's because I have yet to see another bloody carnage like that one. Remember this, Byakuya, only one Zero division member is needed to squash a rebellion."

Byakuya said nothing.

"And you are sure, he did this…"

Without Byakuya having to be explicit, Jūshirō understood what he was referring too. Suicide was uncommonly rare in Soul Society for obvious reasons.

"Positive… One of his daughters witnessed the blast."

"The blast?"

Ukitake nodded. Byakuya took a deep breath.

"Let Ichinose rest. I will be the one to tell her when the time comes. I will tell her, Jūshirō."

Ukitake nodded again politely.

* * *

**Ichigo Kurosaki**

High school student from Karakura High

Orihime's boyfriend

As a child, he learned he could be whatever and whoever he wanted to be. Why everybody was now treating him like he was just an identity thief?

* * *

It was probably far from Orihime's idea that Ichigo needed to get away from her as much as she needed to get away from him. She didn't see him rush out of that house. She could not imagine the turmoil inside him, how angry he suddenly felt, at the world, at himself. He navigated Karakura streets, his fists clenched in his pockets. He probably needed to eat something.

The wind hissed softly. He froze, hair standing at the nape of his neck, a sudden chill traveling his spine. He gritted his teeth. Ulquiorra was alive. He knew. He didn't know how he knew it. He just knew his former nemesis had made his way back into his life. His eyes focused on the ground. It was suddenly as if he could see the smallest riddle in the ground and the cavities of air traveling underneath the coat of tar. Black ink drenched his left pupil. Then like a cat, caught adjusting to lights, his irises contracted, injected with fiery amber and blood. Closing down into a mere slit, the pupil dilated into a large round disk that swallowed Ichigo's whole eye. It only lasted for a moment, the time it took to scratch a match on a wall, the time it took to ignite a spark. Ichigo didn't realize what was happening. He could not feel the critical level of spiritual power escaping from him. As the world flickered into a red and black inferno around him. He continued on his way as the bulbs of every streetlamp in the vicinity exploded one after another. Ichigo stopped again and check his surroundings. Nothing.

Behind him, the street was black and deserted. Cars, like soulless metal skeletons, lined the sidewalk, the portals of houses like the walls of fortresses were shrouded in shadow.

He sighed. He had to calm down. His worst enemy was alive. His worst enemy had saved his girlfriend. His worst enemy ... Ulquiorra ... Was Ulquiorra really his worst enemy? He didn't even know why he was so angry. Was it jealousy? Was he jealous of the Espada? Was he anxious at the idea Ulquiorra might seek his revenge? No, that wasn't it. It was like a piece of himself was constantly missing.

He took a deep breath and started running towards the shinigami HQ. He climbed the wall and stood nimbly on the rampart, scanning the house. The bay window was open in one of the rooms. But a few seconds later, he saw the bay close with a dry blow. There was nothing behind the window. The bay seemed to be closing in on its own.

He stood there longer than he should. He remembered the day he watched her fade away trying to convince himself that this path was the right one, that the pain he was feeling was necessary for him to move on. She was not smiling. She was just staring at him with this unblinking stare. He couldn't look away, having looked away once and lost something he adored forever. He didn't look and watch her fade away. "I will always be a part of you, Ichigo!" His mother had said once. Just like he was a part of her. He was missing that part that faded away with her, ever since. She had been absent from his life ever since that day by the river. He remembered the way she took space in his room. The first week he found one of her shoes under the bed. The second week, her shojo mangas were wasting space on his shelves.

_"Oy, Rukia… You're reading these rubbish magazines again."_

_She didn't even spare him a glance and kept on reading, laying on her stomach in that weird yellow pj she loved to lounge in._

_"Leave me alone."_

_" You're spread on my bed."_

_"There's enough room. Stop whining like a brat?"_

_"I am not whining." He moaned, grabbing her legs, pushing them a bit, while he forcefully inserted himself in that tiny space against the wall. He could feel her warmth against his bare skin._

_"You know this is inappropriate on so many levels."_

_"What?"_

_"You…in my bed… reading naughty magazines."_

_"It's really chilly. You didn't provide me with a proper blanket. I can't read in there with these temperatures. Oh, and last but not least, this manga is nothing compared to what you're hiding in the second drawer of your desk, you perv."_

_Ichigo's face turned a furious red. He bolted upright; his fist clenched._

_" I don't know what you're talking about… When did you go in my desk? That's rude!"_

_She shrugged nonchalantly. Ichigo shifted position for him to get a better look at her._

_"It belongs to Chad anyway."_

_"If you say so…"_

_"Well…So, what you're really reading about?"_

_"Porn." She said casually._

_He almost choked on his own tongue and coughed frantically. Gosh! This Kuchiki!_

_"You okay?"_

_"You just said…"_

_"I was obviously joking. Didn't know you would take me seriously, you fool? It's about a high school girl falling in love with two vampires. She has trouble deciding which one she prefers. They are both lame like you but I guess the heart wants what it wants."_

_"Who are you calling lame?"_

_"The heart. Not you Sir."_

_He glared in her direction._

_"Anyway, that sounds like a tv show my p_ _arents used to watch when I was a kid. My mom really liked it for some reason."_

_"I don't know. But, this one is called vampire knight."_

_"I don't know why someone as old as you would care to read this rubbish. It's not like you don't have experience with this stuff."_

_Rukia remained silent and closed down her book._

_"You really know how to ruin a mood, Ichigo."_

_"I don't know. I thought we were having a conversation."_

_"Well, go to hell, Ichigo. End of conversation." She said, batting her eyelashes girlishly._

_"Do you not have someone you like over there?"_

_"Yes, I was supposed to get married to a perfect stranger in a lavish ceremony before I decided to flee to the living world in order to escape my fate. Then I met you…"_

_He frowned._

_"Really?"_

_"No, baka! Of course not, you said this like just because I'm a little older than you, I know more. That's not true. I am a soldier for the greater good. I'm taking my mission very seriously unlike some people I know."_

_"Sorry. I guess making small talk is not my cup of tea."_

_"I can assure you it is not."_

_"Gee, thanks."_

_"We only tell each other the truth, Ichigo. That's the deal."_

_"Are you almost done?"_

_" Yes... No… I bought four books of this thing. I'm becoming strangely addicted to the constant drama. "_

_"How did you afford four books?"_

_"I borrowed your wallet. I will pay you back in another life."_

_"Teme… I'm too tired to argue with you, Rukia."_

_"That's why I told you."_

_"Are you going to stay?"_

_" In Karakura?"_

_"No."_

_"In your life?"_

_"No."_

_"In your bed?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Will it bother you if I do?"_

_A pause. A frustrated sigh._

_"No."_

_He rolled on the other side._

_"Goodnight, Ichigo."_

_"Goodnight, Rukia."_

Now, he wanted to go back to that time where everything seemed simpler. He knew he couldn't face the girl he spends so many nights with. He knew he was no longer the man whose resolved she once admired. He was just a simple ordinary human. She had no business with him unless it was supernatural related. He did not know who had closed that bay window. Maybe it was Rukia? Maybe it was Byakuya? It made him realize how he could no longer interact in their world. He no longer had his place among the Shinigami. He couldn't even watch from a distance. Rukia had saved Orihime but he couldn't even thank her for what she did. The house was seemingly lifeless. But the lights went off and on, seemingly turned on all by themselves.

Was it worth hanging on to the past?

Ichigo finally jumped down from his perch. He returned to the only place he was always going to be accepted. He went back home.

In the courtyard in front of the clinic, he stumbled on Isshin who was out smoking a cigarette in secret. Father and son stared at each other. Ichigo lowered his head, the first. He stared at the ground if he could, unwilling to share with his father how angry and unhappy he was.

A drop of salty water then two fell to the ground. It was raining where Ichigo was. The young boy clenched his fists. This was so fucked up! He was just missing it! He had a hard time moving his feet as if they were rooted in the concrete of the yard. There were millions of questions in his head. But more importantly, there was a cry ... A howl of rage, a manifestation of his frustration ... He couldn't say what.

He could not cope with his own father and it was telling him a lot about the situation.

It was just pathetic.

Isshin knew his son well enough to know that this was not the time to be tactful and sentimental. So, he pretended to remain cold and indifferent as Ichigo collapsed in front of him. He pretended not to see those tears soiling the ground. He pretended to be a bad father. It was not very difficult. He was a very bad father most of the time. For Ichigo, there was nothing he could do. He had known that. More importantly, he saw how she would She had known that. She ... In short ... He could tell that he was about to leave. Nothing he would say would do to Ichigo what he had lost.

As if to push the nail in, he pulled out his cigarette pack from his doctor's blouse and handed his son a little piece of death.

Ichigo raised his head slowly.

" It's super bad for your health. Smoking increases the risk of becoming impotent."

Isshin explained.

He lit the cigarette and handed it to Ichigo. His boy carried the cigarette to his mouth with suspicion. Isshin grinned. Who will be awarded the world's worst father's award?

"Is it Orihime-chan?"

Ichigo shook his head horizontally. He felt so numb.

"You were not able to see Rukia."

Ichigo nodded.

"I understand." Isshin simply said.

After inhaling his first puff of tobacco, Ichigo felt his lungs catch fire and coughed. He already had tears in his eyes, but now it was for other reasons. He leaned on his knees to catch his breath. Isshin calmly leaned against the wall.

" You must be fucking kidding me? It's fucking disgusting! You're crazy to give me that! What kind of dad gives this shit to his own son!" He groaned.

But that didn't mean he didn't inhale a new puff of nicotine. This time he blew a homogeneous white cloud like an old chain smoker. He shook his head still angry before settling next to his father on the wall.

"How do you fucking deal with this, you heartless jerk?"

He didn't need to say the word for his father to understand what he was referring to. Isshin simply shrugged, his eyes nostalgic.

"I don't deal with it. I'm sitting here with my first-born in my backyard, teaching him how to smoke. That was not the plan."

"The plan? What was the plan?"

"Making her happy till the day I die."

Isshin replied without an ounce of hesitation. It sounded to Ichigo like an apology, so he fell silent for a minute.

"What happened to that plan?"

"Well, sometimes…"

He grabbed Ichigo's face in both hands, looking sternly into his eyes.

"Sometimes, son, you got to improvise."

He said before stepping on the butt of his cigarettes. Not waiting for Ichigo to finish, he went back inside. It took Ichigo a while longer. He had a lot to think about. Maybe he needed a new plan…

Mizuihiro Kojima, Ichigo's classmate, was sitting on the roof of the opposite house, wearing a black ninja suit. Ichigo raised his head in his direction and for a minute, it was as if Kojima was about to be discovered. But Ichigo didn't witness anything unusual and extinguished his own cigarette before he went back inside his house.

Kojima smirked pulling out his smartphone. However, when Ichigo came out of the house again, his eyes trained on the spot Kojima currently occupied, the brunet really leaned forward to make sure he was not imagining things. But before he could assess the situation, the redhaired shook his head and went back inside. This could mean anything. This could mean everything. Shit.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = The Imaginarium of Matsumoto Rangiku


	33. The imaginarium of Rangiku Matsumoto

* * *

**Matsumoto Rangiku**

Vice-Captain of the Tenth Division

Goddess of Gotei 13

Gin Ichimaru was the only one to ever appreciate her sense of humor.

* * *

Haineko was stupid, lazy, pretentious, venal and boring. They did not agree on anything. In the morning, her zanpakutō loved to sunbathe on the burning tin roof of their hut. Rangiku preferred to tan in the grass. It was without comparison.

Rangiku had no idea what she was doing there.

At first, she paced anxiously in her inner world questioning Haineko as to why she was there. Haineko gave it to her straight like she knew the answer to that particular question by heart.

"You're here to aggravate the hell out of me, old hag. This is the only reason for your presence. You're just being a casual pain in my ass."

Haineko was bland, tasteless, shallow, and cantankerous. She and Rangiku did not agree on anything. They fought on everything. When Rangiku asked Haineko if she really expected her to wear her stupid shinigami uniform for the rest of her life, Haineko had retorted, without missing a beat, that it seemed only fair to her as she had to bear with Rangiku's face without complaint, making them therefore equal.

Haineko was insensitive, cruel, and petty. They did not agree on anything. Rangiku had asked her if she thought Gin had survived the war. Haineko laughed. Who could get rid of this nasty Kitsune?

Haineko and Rangiku were too different. Rangiku was not really made to live in her Zanpakutō. She had never realized until then how boring her inner world was. There were no bars, no shops, no nasty sidewalks to rest on… Not one of her friends had made Haineko's guest list… No Gin… The days were all the same. The sunsets were all the same. Sometimes she wove flower necklaces together like... like her regrets. She was far too tired to train. She had far too much energy to do anything.

Each time she tried to chat to pass the time, Haineko would manage to get under her skin. So Rangiku preferred to delay those moments when all she wanted was to slay her zanpakutō spirit.

This was a real nightmare. But she was aware it could have been worse ... without Haineko.

It happened on a Sunday. For a long time, Rangiku had lost all notions of the passing of time, so when she decreed that it was Sunday, necessarily it was Sunday, there was no reason to quarrel.

She put a wreath of white flowers on her head and wriggled out of her clothes. Because she had decided no clothes was necessary on Sunday. As she said, it was truly inconvenient for her that she had to dress in that shinigami uniform for the rest of her life. So for her own sanity, she organized breaks on that impossibly tight schedule, to now and then feel the artificial breeze on her gloriously naked butt. Obviously, Haineko hated that. But Rangiku always felt perfectly happy in her skin and she didn't mind annoying the hell of her zanpakutō spirit to boot. So, she wriggled and twerked her butt close to Haineko's sad mug. Happiness was a contagious disease she learned over the years. It was Sunday after all. So, soon after that, Haineko was also shaking everything she got. Because, to hell with every other preconceived idea, life was made for parties!

**A little party never killed nobody - Fergie ft. Q-Tip, GoonRock**

Jumping up and down, Haineko and Rangiku wandered in this endless landscape, dancing to a music only they heard. All the trees looked alike. All directions led to the same point in her inner world. But strolling naked feeling an imaginary breeze on her skin, it was almost like taking down a bottle of sake with Shuhei and Kira wearing fundoshi. It was very entertaining and good for the soul.

Rangiku remembered Shunsui's parties in the Rukon district. At some point in time, Shunsui was low-key the master planner of the best parties in the Seireitei. Not everybody could get in. There was a list and you were on it or not. Obviously, Rangiku was on top of that list even as an academy student. And now and then, Shunsui would extend a couple of invites to his fellow captains. They didn't always agree but… such nights happened where they were all reunited in one tiny shack, called the "NinoNimo". That's how on such a night, the king of the night, Shunsui Kyouraku, his head laid lustfully on a waitress's lap, ordered away for the whole bar, asking to put it on the first division tab, despite Jushiro trying to shush him down. She remembered when Nanao barged in the packed bar and forcefully pulled that waitress away from her captain, kissing her full on her lips, and slapping the girl's butt as she made her way back behind her counter. You can imagine all the men freezing in utter delight, the bar falling silent at the sight, Shunsui drooling on himself with lust, Jushiro almost fainting from the sudden heat… You can imagine it all, right?

Nanao-chan, her best friend wasn't one to play. She was a brave and daring young woman well respected and well connected. But even she had been surprised by the attention she inadvertently brought on her. Fortunately, Kenpachi, Yachiru, Yumichika, and Ikkaku made their entrance, filling the little joint to the brim with their boisterous presence. The eleventh division were party animals so they would be there without a doubt. Mayuri was also there holding Nemu's hand, grossing everyone out every time he touched that meek girl inappropriately, which by the end of the night was often. Nobody could blame it on the alcohol because he told everyone that would listen beforehand that he couldn't get drunk. That man was an anomaly! Oh, Komamura dropped by earlier with Iba and he was having fun betting on a go table!

Then the door swung open abruptly, Gin came in with Aizen in tow and just like that the world stopped being so noisy around Rangiku. He was so tall as he came in first, his steps deliberately slow, with a hint of menace, as the crowd parted for the two captains. The chill Rangiku felt traveling her spine as she stood there with her drinks in her hands. He and Aizen passed her by like she was invisible, to go sit with Shunsui and Jushiro. Rangiku could only close her eyes, frozen on the spot, letting herself be overwhelmed by his presence. Gin was greeted by Kenpachi with a slam on a table. For a minute, it felt like they were about to fight. But Gin just smiled crookedly like a fox and Kenpachi groaned, the rest of the party laughed at something Shunsui said, something about this being his birthday party ( despite everyone knowing that he was born in Summer) and that all of them should have brought company instead of a zanpakutō and which quality of men did things like that! It diffused the atmosphere. Aizen sat next to Jushiro, adjusting his glasses on his nose, like a fish out of the water. More Saké was put on that table. Rangiku still stood in a trance.

"Stop drooling, my friend. It's not a cute look on you." Nanao whispered in her ears with a wink.

Rangiku blinked back twice.

"That asshole just ignored me again."

"Men. Pigs. All of them. Thought you didn't care you were not friends anymore?"

Rangiku shrugged again, glancing back at Shunsui's table, clearly annoyed.

"Did you buy those?" Nanao said stealing a tiny cup of saké in Rangiku's hand.

Rangiku shook her head.

"Of course not. Hisagi is paying." Rangiku said like it was the most natural thing in the world, showing her the table she left with Kira, Hisagi, and Renji. "Gave me his wallet and all…"

Nanao grinned.

"That's my girl! "

**_I ain't got time for you baby_ **

**_Either you're mine or you're not_ **

"You know what, Nanao?"

Nanao turned to her with a dazzling smile. She was well on her way to get wasted and she was anticipating it with glee, her face flushed red. She grabbed another tiny cup. That's why she had friends like Nanao. There was no way she could stand mopping all day like most women.

"I don't care. Tomorrow we won't remember tonight, anyway! Let's lit this place up! "

She started to move lusciously in front of Nanao. Nanao, who was hiding a thrill-seeking nature, behind her glasses, swallowed all the remaining sake, throw all the cups behind her and immediately jumped on the rhythm, pushing all the big boys there, cleaning up that dancefloor with a few chosen extravagant dance moves.

"Push your fat butt, Omaeda! I'm on my way! Make way!" She called out and climbed nimbly on a table. The bar roared with laughter. People were clapping in delight. She made room for Rangiku to join her.

"Come on my queen!"

**Hope you can keep up, boy**

**Cause, believe me, I'm the bee's knees**

The crowd literally went berserk with the row of captains rising to participate in the mayhem. Rangiku was in her territory, commanding the room with her presence. Hisagi and Kira were frontline, taking their clothes off and that's when everything got wild. Yachiru was cleaning all the food on the newly deserted tables while Yumichika was beating some idiots at pachinko who was too busy staring at Rangiku's bosom. While Kenpachi was whistling like a teenage boy, Aizen looked up at Gin. The captain of the third division hadn't moved from his nonchalant position, slumped in the booth. He sipped on his drink slowly, his eyes trained on the spectacle ahead with the same casual smirk. Nothing betrayed his apparent indifference. Satisfied with what he saw, Aizen turned his attention to Shunsui and Jushiro with a barely veiled look of disdain. How come these people were considered Gotei's finest! Gin simply smirked as he realized he passed that test again one more time. But it was the moment Rangiku choose to lock eyes with him. He was so surprised that she caught him in the act, he opened his eyes wide for a second.

**It don't mean a thing…**

They stared intently at each other. It was Rangiku's turn to grin. She just caught him there. She held her luscious blond mane in triumph, swaying even more seductively, snapping her tongue back at him. He winked mischievously. His girl wanted to play. He licked his fangs. He was in the mood.

"Nanao-chan, I love you!" Shunsui shouted, jumping up and down on his table happily in his pink overcoat. Rangiku turned and sure Gin only had eyes for her. Seeing that man's crystalline blue eyes at times was no easy feat, that's why she considered her mission fully accomplished. She danced even harder. It was a vibrant colorful almost chaotic scene. All those men fighting to buy them drinks or fighting to get closer.

Someone turned the traditional shack's lights off so the strobing lights could take over. The atmosphere turned almost suffocating. All the women, soldiers or not, joined Rangiku-chan and Nanao-chan on their patriotic efforts to entertain the troops. Some people were fighting in a corner. A chair and a table flew by a broken window. Kenpachi roared in utter delights with Ikkaku. They crossed the room rapidly to jump in the melee. A tornado of reiatsu later, there was almost a hole where these two previously stood. However, they knew the rule, no Shikai release outside of the Seireitei would be tolerated. Fists and kicks were flying everywhere. Jushiro had taken his haori off and was dancing with two beautiful girls in bright yukata behind Shunsui. He was a surprisingly good dancer and It was safe to say, the captain of the thirteen division in him was utterly gone. Gone to the dark and loving every minute of it. He was a believer of the motto that says that life should be lived to its fullest. Renji jumped on the bar to grab a couple of bottles of saké he passed along to Kira and Hisagi. He didn't know who was paying for all this. The street rat in him knew very well it was not gonna be him. Renji looked at the jerking crowd thanking whatever god for this opportunity of having a good time for free when his luck got even worse, a tall brunet tapped on his shoulder, grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the dancefloor.

Rangiku searched for Gin with a knowing grin. But his seat was empty. She looked around. He was no longer there. Aizen was the only one in that booth, staring intently at her like an old creep. She swallowed hard, her movements suddenly slow… She was going to be sick. She jumped off the table and ran dizzily outside.

**Beyoncé - Back to Black (Fifty Shades Darker Soundtrack)**

The weather outside was rather cold. It was the beginning of fall. Her birthday was close. This realization brought another wave of dizziness and it changed again her whole mood. She tried to catch her breath, holding her sides. He left. Of course, he did! What an idiot! He had her again, trying to catch him in the dark. She could feel the tears burning her eyes. She was such an idiot. Suddenly she felt two arms snaked around her neck. Instead of panicking, it's not like she wasn't used to that kind of unwanted attention, she pushed back with all her strength. But a powerful spiritual power nailed her to the spot and painted the street in shades of blue and black, while very soft lips kissed the base of her neck greedily. She was powerless to move but not because of that Reiryoku. She closed her eyes with a moan, relaxing in that vicious hold.

"I felt you were saying something earlier, Ran-chan, something mean…"

"You ignored me."

"I did no such things."

"You did."

She wanted to cry, the desperation was clawing its way inside her. It was ripping her apart, the way the simple touch of his fingers was leaving a hot sensation on her skin. She wanted him to never let go of her neck. She would replace that scarf for his arms around her neck in a heartbeat. She was painting the wall in her minds with all the images of what she wanted him to do to her.

"Ran? Are you okay?! Ran, where are you?"

Nanao found the street empty.

"Rangiku?! Matsumoto?!"

Meanwhile, Rangiku was hiding in the shadows with a certain captain. She always got caught up in his dangerous game. Of course, he pulled her even more in the shadows where he belonged. To say she didn't know Gin had a dark side would be a sweet lie. It was like lying about the thought she was currently holding on to him while her best friend was looking out for her. All the sweet lies she told herself sometimes she was the worst.

They stared intently at each other. She opened her mouth expectantly, as they quietly shut out their reiatsus to fade away together so Nanao would not find them. He pulled her even closer against the wall in the semi-darkness looking at her like she was a snack he was about to devour. Then the world turned critically blue again as Gin shielded them completely from prying eyes. She was looking from a distance as Shunsui came out of the bar, dropping his coat on Nanao's head. Rangiku shivered. She was sure they were going to get caught.

"Nanao-chan, come back! I will drown in my sorrow if you don't come back immediately."

"You're drunk, captain. Are you crying?"

"Drunk in love, Nanao-chan. Drunk in love! Come on! Don't you let go of my hand!"

"That's a song!"

"No, Love is a song, my sweet Nanao! Love is the sweetest song! And my life is about love!"

Nanao kept a straight face during her captain's outburst before she finally shrugged. It wasn't like it was the first time Ran had ever ditched her to go home early. She could understand catching a bad case of heartbreak. She followed Shunsui inside until he stopped on the last march.

"What?"

Shunsui shrugged and opened the door for her. Their voices were fading. Gin smirked slowly as he moved them away from the merchant street using shunpo. A split second later, he was holding her against the wall in his office, the one adjacent to his bedroom. Ran barely blinked, barely aware they moved at all, she kept staring into his eyes.

"I'm not gonna let you get away with it."

She said daringly meanwhile she was the one currently pinned against the wall.

"Ran-chan, what are you talking about ?" He said, his eyes half-closed.

"You fucking ignored me again."

Gin smirked slowly.

"I'm never leaving…"

She opened her eyes wide, her lips opening in expectation for him to finish that sentence.

"Is what Rangiku-chan wants to hear the most…" He grinned mischievously.

Her face contorted with pain. Her eyes were suddenly burning with unrestrained anger and shame. He was messing with her again. She played right into his hand. The temptation was hard to push him away. She did no such thing. She was so lame. She was so exhausted by their games.

"I'm joking." He said.

But Rangiku wasn't stupid, she knew he wasn't joking at all. He was point-blank stepping on her heart, again and again, staring straight into her eyes. That monster! Yet, she stood her ground.

"Do you hate me, Gin?"

He blinked, unprepared for that question. She saw his eyes for a split second. Blue. Like water and ice in a cloudy sky. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She angrily wiped them away. He gently stroke the side of her face with his impossibly long fingers. They were dangerously reaching like claws, playing with the necklace around her neck absentmindedly for a second. He was suddenly so serious. She felt nervous.

"What are you saying, Ran? Isn't this all a game you incited? Isn't playing what Ran-chan likes the most?"

He murmured, his lips inches from her sweaty collarbone. She swallowed hard.

"At least, It's what I like the most." He said, his voice suddenly hoarse, his eyes unnaturally gleaming red. The hunt was what he favored above all.

He was going to enjoy the spoils of tonight's hunt.

His lips crashed onto hers, bruising as if he was trying to absorb her whole. Instead of getting scared, Rangiku held onto him even harder, pulling at his clothes with urgency. He hungrily pushed back, his mouth open, his tongue pushing past her clenched teeth. His skin was so cool and soft as she gripped his face firmly as if to keep him from escaping. She worked her mouth against his, their tongues battling back and forth, each trying to pin the other. While taking both her wrists in one of his hand, he started untying her scarf slowly. He always started with the scarf. There were nights where he would play with it, tie her hands or her neck with it… But at that moment, he had no interest in that scarf. She kissed him relentlessly with that persistence he adored.

While doing all this, the girl formed the same resolution over and over. There was no way she was going to let that guy get away from her. There was no way he was ever gonna win his freedom back. He was hers. Hers only. There was no way she will allow this stray dog to ever forget. Gin kissed her fiercely, nipping and biting at her lower lip but Rangiku was like a wolf in disguise. She was delighted to hear him groan against her. She needed more than a tender kiss to make up, more than a promise he won't ever give her. She needed him to show her how much he was suffering too, how much this was taking away from him because it had taken way too much out of her tonight. She wanted to see his raw primal desire. He lifted her roughly against the wall. His eyes were red. His fangs out. He slammed the wall by accident and left an honest dent in it. She didn't question any of it. It all seemed normal to her. She could have said that she was too far gone to care. But honestly, she never did question his incredible amount of spiritual energy. Rangiku never even realized that she was the only one who ever saw Gin like that. She really didn't care.

She forcefully kissed him, drunk on the taste of his tongue, drunk on the power emanating from him. It came down to a deep level. Her soul had claimed his. His claimed hers. Her soul was eating away at his…He was feeding on her. She never knew really. She didn't even realize they were both shining with Reiryoku in the dark. Gin Ichimaru grinned wickedly as he licked her chest slowly feeling the soul he owned so close to his lips... He fell on his knees before her. The temptation was so great just swallowing her there. What he did for her… To achieve power… To be the one that made sure she could party as much as she wants… Going back to that dark place he previously left behind… To protect the smile he loved. Yes, it sometimes took a toll on him but Gin reasoned, that he was only going back to his roots. For her, he just went back to be himself in order to maintain her happiness. Power meant nothing if it didn't serve a greater purpose. If only Rangiku knew at that moment just how far Gin was willing to go for her she would have never questioned her place in his life again. But maybe it would have scared her though… just like it scared that "woman" stuck in his inner world.

His reiatsu sizzled back in violent waves. She arched her back, pulling on his haori. He trailed kisses over her neck and shoulder. Rangiku watched absentmindedly as the shelves fell one by one, with every book on them rolling on the floor. He let go of any restraint and the room turn blue and dark… then at times, it was painted with deep undertones of red. The wall swayed, looking every bit as if it was about to collapse. Every light exploded around them and they were suddenly plunged in a semi-darkness. Gin Ichimaru truly looked like a monster but Rangiku was truly convinced she was the wolf. She was a monster. Even though she knew this wasn't going to last, she pulled him inside the room and pushed him roughly on the bed, the door slamming harshly behind them.

"That's fucking disgusting, you hag!"

Haineko looked positively horrified and disgusted. That was way too much information. Rangiku frowned, blinking as she realized where she was. She was back in her inner world. It was probably still Sunday. She licked her lips a bit embarrassed. She took a deep breath, trying to lower the sudden heat she felt. That was one vivid memory! She put back her clothes.

"Ah! Like I said it was a nice party!"

Haineko shrugged, her arms crossed.

"You just make me sick sometimes! You and that terrorist!"

"Haineko, no need to be such a prude. I mean we both know you're not that innocent." Rangiku said teasingly.

"Don't you dare compare me to you?! I…"

But she never finished that sentence, she stopped abruptly, sniffing the air loudly. Her zanpakutō spirit suddenly groaned.

"No! He did not dare!"

Rangiku felt the change in the air as surely as when Tōshirō was nearby. But instead of a cold draft, a warm breath swept her face. There was such a level of spiritual pressure in the air. A raw and powerful reiatsu sheared the air in front of her. A drop of sweat streamed along the side of her face. Behind Rangiku, Haineko let out a ferocious roar. The ground shook imperceptibly, the very foundations of its reality questioned.

" Haineko!"

"He will die if he's trying to fuck with me! I will destroy him!"

"Haineko! What's going on? That..."

The hair stiffened on Haineko's back. She roared again.

" He has no rights! He has no right to come here!"

Her zanpakutō resumed her humanoid form. A young red-haired woman took the place of the feline. A sword materialized in her hand. Haineko? Rangiku frowned before raising her head toward the cloudless sky. Gin?

Her reality cracked from side to side. Shinso? The Nodachi brushed her face, scratching it a little, before hitting Haineko's sword hard.

Haineko was thrown into the air before biting the dust behind a hill.

In her hospital bed, Rangiku Matsumoto's body remained motionless. A lonely drop of blood streamed down on her right cheek.

When she realized it was Gin, Rangiku could have cried tears of joy. She was so relieved that he was alive. But he seemed so far away when she only wanted to rush in his arms.

Gin. He did not speak. His hair concealed his eyes. Gin. Gin. His name was like a prayer ... a mantra. He came for her. He was there for her. She hardly believed it. He disappeared for a split second. Rangiku clenched her fists helplessly.

In her inner world, several trees fell, the first victims of the war between Shinsō and Haineko fought. It was Gin because her world was falling back in pieces. Everything Gin Ichimaru ever touched he managed to destroy. It was after all what she hated the most about him. He didn't care to step on what they had to get to his goal… And for what? He didn't care to stomp on her heart to protect her. As Haineko struggled to repel Shinsō's assault, Rangiku stood frozen on the spot.

"You're alive."

She could see his lips move but she could not hear a single word.

Even silent, he took her breath away. His Shihakusho looked soaked. Where was he? He was bleeding. He was bleeding! Oh no, he's bleeding! Haineko, stop!

Haineko jumped again with a roar. She broke Shinsō in half.

" No!" The blonde screamed.

Blood was now flowing under his bangs.

"Haineko! Stop !"

" No way!"

"Gin, talk to me! Please !"

Rangiku rushed to the opening. Haineko caught her immediately and pinned her to the ground, wringing her arms.

"Come back! Gin, don't leave! Please! Stay with me! Take me! Stay with me! Take me!"

"He doesn't belong here!"

"No! Let go!"

Haineko's eyes colored black with a red touch. She was invoking everything she got, absorbing all the trees and fields, and every rock back around her. The crushing spiritual pressure in the air was no longer that of Gin Ichimaru because there was no way that Haineko would lose to him. To Shinso. She hated him with every particle of reishi that animated her. That nasty bastard had to die. Shinsō had to die. No other zanpakutō spirit was allowed in her sanctuary. Shinsō had to die. Rangiku gesticulated under her but Haineko did what she knew best. She protected Rangiku from all attacks and even from herself. She would never allow Shinsō to walk all over her, shitting on everything she ever built. Never.

The zanpakutō spirit snarled her eyes blood red.

The suspended Reishi particles condensed around her as tiny as particles of ashes. She ordered them to burn everything. She would burn it all to stop Shinsō at all costs. Haineko was ready to set their reality on fire. Like an army, ashes burned all the trees in the imaginary forest. Rangiku continued to scream under her.

"You two, it's over. It's done."

" Stop hurting him! Stop!"

"When he stops hurting me!"Haineko replied.

The sky took on a blood-red hue.

" Haineko! I command you. You! Leave him alone!"

Haineko pushed her back again as she concentrating on the fracture in the sky.

" You, ordering me around? You must be fucking kidding me? You're not strong enough. I lent you my strength because we almost died because of him ! Get real, Rangiku!

The crack closed again. Rangiku lay on the floor, shaking with sobs.

" I hate it that you lack a basic instinct for survival! That fascination you got for that freaking terrorist took that away from you! They could have ended us! You almost died for him! What did he do in return? What did he sacrifice in return? Did he love us like we deserve to be loved? Did he protect us when we needed to be protected? Did he persevere to conquer us? What did Gin Ichimaru and Shinsō ever sacrifice for us?"

Rangiku remained prostrated on the floor.

"No. There is only one person that Shinsō likes and that's himself. That snake!"

Rangiku grabbed Haineko's hand before it changed shape. She hugged Haineko forcefully. In this virtual world where everything was fake from the color of the sky to the leaves on the trees, Haineko, the ash cat, hugged her mistress because it was Sunday and that's probably what they liked to do on Sunday, Ichimaru Gin, be damned.

One or two days later, or perhaps even a whole year had passed since that incident, Rangiku was unable to tell the difference.

Rangiku was training. She had not stopped training ever since that day. Haineko was lounging in the shade of a tree. Repeating the same succession of Hakuda movement, she thought she could increase her spiritual strength faster. If what she casually dubbed "the incident" was to happen again, she wanted to be sure she could dominate her Zanpakutō. She was determined to become stronger to regain control of her life.

"Gin. He's not what you see."

Haineko shrugged as he examined his claws.

"You always say that he is not what I believe and he always finds a way to be exactly what I expect."

Rangiku lifted her left leg in the air slowly, her stance perfectly stable. Calmly, she was gathering one by one all the pieces of herself. She looked at them mentally and replaced them. With discipline, she was building an armor. Without turning or losing her concentration, she continued with the same melancholy.

"When he was younger, much younger, when we were both younger, he was constantly harassed because of his appearance. He started to squint because growing up, he noticed that it made people uncomfortable, people found it so much more intimidating. He thought he rather had them scared of him."

She paused.

"He said he did not remember ever having a family. He said, 'As far as I can remember, Ran-chan, it has always been you and me against the rest of the world.' But I know he was lying because sometimes when he thought I wasn't paying attention he would sing a strange lullaby. It was a song about a land without sun, with only the moon shining on its inhabitants. I don't remember the lyrics well. But I knew someone must have taught him."

She tilted her head to the sides and brought down a tree with just a simple kick.

" I'm like him. I don't remember one day without him. I don't remember having a mother or a father. I have long forgotten what I was doing here and how I arrived in Soul Society. I forgot all that. When I see Gin, I see my family."

Rangiku stopped her exercises. Tears slid down her cheek.

"You hurt him. You hurt me. Cause we are both very much unwanted damaged goods in this world."

Haineko seemed uncomfortable. Of course, Rangiku Matsumoto realized that she had to be well-off her rocker to think that Gin was the person she felt closest to. Their relationship had had ups and downs. Haineko would argue that they knew a lot more downs than highs actually and Rangiku had fallen in love with a ghost. That did not change their reality.

"Why are you here Rangiku?"

"You refuse to tell me."

"In your opinion? Do you have just an idea ?"

" I don't remember."

"Rangiku ..."

"I know. I don't remember how it started. I pursued him for years. I ... I liked it. I loved it. I don't really remember when it started. I don't know how old I am. I don't know why I'm not good enough. I never knew, Haineko. When he looked into my eyes, I can feel he wants to ask me the same question you do. When he is looking into my eyes, I can see he is looking for someone else. That's what hurts the most. I don't remember who that is."

"Rangiku…"

"Something happened to me… I don't remember. I don't understand why you guys, I'm talking both you and him, instead of berating me all day about what I'm getting wrong, you don't simply tell me."

Rangiku sighed, worn out, having said everything she was holding in her chest for so long. Haineko's incisive remarks had the merit of amplifying her headache. Haineko did not understand anything.

" I'm still in pieces, am I not?"

Haineko nodded slowly. Rangiku's puzzle, memories scattered in the clouds, were all around her.

"Am I ever going to get it right?"

Haineko shrugged, unsure. She sure needed to if she ever hoped of getting out of here.

"You know, there was something he was good at. Your Gin ?"

Rangiku frowned.

" He had perfect hands. Green thumbs. Gin could grow flowers in a desert. He found us in a desert, didn't he?"

Rangiku slowly nodded, trying to get back to that day, finding it so hard to remember in details.

"I was hungry. He offered me all he had. He told me why I was hungry."

Rangiku frowned. Her memory stopped there. Nothing before. Nothing after. How annoying! She shook her blonde mane from left to right, sighing in frustration. She drove away from the dark thoughts and obvious melancholy. What good was it digging in that black hole? She did not remember. She did not remember. Period. She only remembered Gin. One morning, she had opened her eyes and he was leaning over her, handing her a couple of persimmons.

"You love my company!" Rangiku sobered up.

" A zanpakutō and his partner are not made to live together. Your physical wounds are healed. It's your soul that needs tending too. People usually ignore this. But souls are fragile things."

Rangiku was about to nod when she felt another giant wave of reiatsu. Rangiku remained paralyzed, her eyes slowly covered with a white sheen.

"Rangiku?"

The blonde turned to her Zanpakutō.

"What is happening to me ?" Rangiku said as he watched her left hand dissolve slowly.

Rangiku jerked back violently.

Haineko arrived in time to catch her before she touched the ground.

"You have to go back to your body! Now! Rangiku, listen to me!"

Spreading from her tear duct to her cheeks and neck, blood streamed down Haineko's face as she tried to hold on her mistress with all her might. Rangiku silently convulsed in her arms.

"Mistress! Wake up! I beg you Rangiku! Wake up ! Go back! I need you to go back! Help! I need help! Shinso! Help!"

Gin's zanpakuto gleamed in darkness inside the vault of the second division.

* * *

**Shuhei Hisagi**

Lieutenant of the Ninth Division under Abarai Renji

Friend of Matsumoto Rangiku and Kira Izuru

All-time Matsumoto Rangiku n ° 1 fan

Yes. Matsumoto Rangiku was loved.

* * *

Matsumoto Rangiku was loved without a doubt. She was not exactly revered by everyone. Some may even argue she had a knack pissing off a bunch of usually quiet people. Very often, her pranks provoked a tornado of resentment inside the Gotei 13. For instance, Kuchiki Byakuya never forgave the lieutenant for the time he became without his consent, the star of Rangiku Matsumoto's naughty calendars. Captain Unohana did not like to be mentioned on the many "Matsumoto lists", like the one where she was voted the scariest captain of all time. Kenpachi was still angry at Rangiku for revealing in a Seireitei News article that he was going to Yumichika every month to retouch his roots. She stood Renji Abarai up at least 27 times and had promised him just as many times that she would make up for it, on the condition he took care of her administrative paperwork once a month. She had taken so many compromising photos of Kira and Shuhei completely drunk and naked that they were her slaves. Her captain only trusted her as far as he could throw her. That was not much. How many times had Hitsugaya-taicho forced her to clean the toilet of the Tenth Division for organizing a party with Kira and Nanao behind his back? Oh and that time, she caught him reading one of her swimsuit magazines and he got so pissed he unleashed his Bankai on her. Yes, Rangiku could be misunderstood by her peers.

But Rangiku was also loved and respected. Boys were putting pictures of her on their walls. She was receiving a dozen boxes of chocolates a day that she distributed to the orphans in the Rukongai. To those kids, she was just like a fairy godmother. Her fans were lining up at the first light of day in front of her door to confess their love and she listened to every one of them with kind encouraging words in answer.

She was venerated like a goddess in certain circles, with the most ardent of her admirers probably being the lieutenant of the ninth division, Hisagi Shuhei.

The first time Shuhei looked at Rangiku-Sempai, he was at the academy. Rangiku-san had joined the freshman in a student animated workshop and he had noticed her voluptuous figure at the corner of a corridor. Her silky honey hair was up in a high ponytail that day. His heart had leaped in his chest.

A year later, she was the ninth seat of the eighth division. He had seen her in the shopping district dining with Captain Kyouraku and Captain Ukitake. He had noticed then that all the men of the bar could not look away from the young woman's cleavage, including Kyouraku-Taicho. The sake glasses were lining in front of her and she never took a penny out of her pocket. However, her look was quite melancholic as she carried each glass to her full lips. Then as the night wore on, a fake smile appeared on her face to the point that she had even danced on the table with Kyouraku in front of the stunned Captain Ukitake. That night, he watched with a heavy heart as Captain Kyouraku set off again with her to the eighth division.

Matsumoto was also present when he went on his first mission during his fifth year. It was the first time he had formally introduced himself with his name and his status as a senior at the academy.

"Oh! Very well!" She said before she congratulated him for mastering his zanpakutō. She said she was still trying to master hers. He kept staring at her with big gawking eyes because she had also called him Hisagi-Kun and patted him on the back. She had the most beautiful smile on that day.

After graduating, Shuhei did everything to find her. After much research, Kira had told him that Rangiku had been offered the eleventh seat by the newly-elected Third Division Captain, Gin Ichimaru. His friend had gone on to say that it was unlikely that she would stay long since she was not really in Vice-Captain Chikane Iba's good graces. That day, Shuhei did not even wait for Kira to finish and rushed to the third division. Concealed behind a Seireitei News, Shuhei tried to go unnoticed. She had not been hard to find. She was on all fours scrubbing the patio floor. She was barely halfway to her task and at this rate, it was going to take her all afternoon to do everything. Without knowing where did he find the courage, he went to her.

" Matsumoto-Sempai ... I ..."

" Hey, Shuhei?" she had answered without looking up.

"You remember…me..."

She looked up at him. Her eyes were uniformly blue like the sky. A lock of hair fell behind her ear.

"I love the tattoos. It is quite manly. Be an angel, can you help me tie my hair, my hands are rather busy."

Shuhei nodded, swallowing hard. He complied and did the best he could. Feeling her silky soft mane hair under his fingers was one of the most unexpectedly erotic experiences he ever had. They were infinitely thicker and voluminous than in his fantasies. But they were so soft and they smelled so great. He tied them with a pink ribbon and began to make the most perfect knots. When he had finished, she thanked him with a smile.

"You're an angel."

He squatted by her side.

" Maybe I can help you?"

That's it! He had dared to make the first move. She shook her head.

" No, that old witch punished me after finding me in the captain's office. She said I heaved on the floor and she punished by making me scrub all the floors of the division."

"It's really unfair."

" No, I should never have been there in the first place."

She answered with a sigh.

" What brought you there exactly?"

Shuhei asked hesitantly. He was not sure he wanted the answer to that particular question. No man could resist Matsumoto Rangiku. He had met Gin only two years earlier, on a routine field training session, but he had heard a lot about him, the genius who had completed the academy in a year. He was probably not much older than Matsumoto-sempai. Maybe he was like Captain Kyouraku, weak before her charms.

Rangiku shrugged in response.

" Shuhei-kun, when I'm drunk, I don't really think. Sake is not made for that! Thinking, I mean! It's quite the opposite!"

She answered, scratching her temple.

" Fortunately the captain was not there ... Good! At least, I've already finished the first-floor!

Both sighed with relief but for very different reasons.

" Let me help you. It will go much faster together!"

"Okay only if after you let me buy you a drink, Shuhei!"

His face was suddenly flushed. He nodded. It was almost a date! He had just landed a date with Matsumoto Rangiku!

"And then we can also invite Kira-Kun from the fourth division. It's your friend, right? There is also Renji Abarai who asked me out! He could join us. Nanao Ise will come with a little luck…if I ask her very nicely ... There's that girl… She is so nice. Momo, is it?"

Well, it wasn't a date in the truest sense of the word, but it was a start. He knelt beside her and retrieve the brush. Meanwhile, Rangiku began to wipe with the rag.

"I knew it! You can't do anything without shaking your melons under the nose of your colleagues!"

Shuhei looked up at the legendary Chikane Iba. She was ageless, her thin black hair, spread out in a strict bun. He turned towards Rangiku. The blonde fixed the ground humbly.

" Iba-fukutaicho, Shuhei-kun is just a friend who has kindly offered to help me."

"You always have friends to encourage your laziness! In my career, I have never seen such manipulative tactics. Today, you took it even further!"

Rangiku's lips quivered in the wind. She kept her eyes trained on the floor.

"Iba-fukutaicho, it's my fault ... I was the one to suggest helping."

Chikane's gargoyle features turned to Shuhei again.

"Who are you? You are not part of the third division. Who is your captain so I can tell him of your insubordination?"

"Please, punish me instead! Shuhei has absolutely nothing to do with it! Shishou, I'll do anything you want. Punish me! It's true I'm lazy and ...shameless! I manipulated Shuhei-Kun to help me!"

Rangiku humbly rested her forehead on the dusty ground.

" Hey! What is happening here ?"

Chikane's eyes widened with surprise.

"Taicho!"

Shuhei realized the silver-haired young man who was coming towards them was probably the famous Gin Ichimaru in the flesh. He won't lie. He was shorter in his memory and now… Now he was standing like a tower above them. He was simply impressive. His smile was chilling and his reiatsu. It... was ... It was suffocating. A drop of sweat shimmered on his forehead. He had the sensation of feeling millions of spiders crawling under his skin.

Gin stopped in front of them. Rangiku remained prostrated on the ground, her face shining with tears.

"It's the eleventh seat again. I told you about it, Taicho? I surprised her last night degrading your office."

"Really? Oh yes, I remember now."

He turned his piercing gaze to Shuhei.

"Hisagi Shuhei, right? You have just entered the ninth division under Tōsen, directly in the fifth seat. He can't keep his mouth shut about you. It's impressive."

Shuhei straightened up. He felt that he was not in his present interest to remain in a position of inferiority in front of this person. It was obvious that Gin was making fun of him. How a guy who made it to the top of the advanced class with the likes of Captain Kuchiki Byakuya of the sixth division, a guy who finished the academy in one year, practically as a tourist, a guy who was rumored to have gotten rid of the third seat of his old division in one fucking strike, to take his place, a guy who had passed the captain's exam hands down on the first try, setting the bar so high that the captain-general had thought of changing the exam settings, a guy who wore the haori with so much charisma, a guy that was that tall, how a guy like that could think that Shuhei's career was in any form or shape impressive? No, that smile was fake. That smile was an optical illusion. He felt Gin Ichimaru's reiatsu creep into him like a million insects. If he had not been Hisagi Shuhei, his father's son, his mother's son, he would have run away, screaming in terror. Shit, he still wanted to run away. Or to vomit. Or to do both.

Standing, he realized that Gin still dominated him with a short head. But his gesture had the merit of surprising the captain of the third division who revealed his blue eyes for the space of a second.

"Well, well, well ... I will tell Tōsen all the good I think of you. It is very generous to help a friend in need."

"Taicho?"

"Chikane-San, we cannot chastise mutual aid between shinigami. What kind of messages would it send to our recruits? Huh?" He explained without losing his smile.

The vice-captain nodded nervously.

"Iba, walk Hisagi-kun back to the barracks of the ninth division. Don't forget to tell Tōsen how much I appreciated the help of his fifth seat."

Iba swallowed hard. She glanced at Matsumoto still prostrated on the floor.

" But for...

" Ne, Iba-San, Is there anything else?" Gin asked, head tilting to the side, with the most candid air.

The old woman shook her head and bowed to him in submission.

"Rangiku-San, Shuhei-san helped you a lot. But you have to do it by yourself. Iba-San is right. It is never good to rely too much on one's natural charms to advance in life. You can do a lot better."

With these words, he toppled the bucket of soapy water on the floor.

"Start again. This time I want you to be very thorough on the first floor. When you come by my office, don't hesitate to knock and say hi!"

While being escorted out of the division by the vice-captain, Shuhei glanced over his shoulder. Gin had squatted next to Rangiku to whisper in her ear. Despite the distance, he still heard Gin perfectly.

"You are very pretty today, Ran-chan."

Gin continued on his way upstairs not without casting a last mocking glance towards Shuhei who was passing the door of the sanbantai. The young man realized that Gin had wanted to be heard. He could convey images and sounds via his Reiryoku.

He wanted Shuhei to know that Rangiku was just off-limit. Gin Ichimaru was really the most dangerous captain of the Gotei 13.

Shuhei was never allowed to return to the quarters of the Third Division under the command of Gin Ichimaru. Rangiku was then transferred in the fifth for a short time, then in the fourth division, and finally she was appointed vice-captain of the tenth division under the command of Captain Hitsugaya, another genius. Shortly after that, he had himself been appointed vice-captain under Tōsen. After Iba-San retired, Gin had chosen Kira as a lieutenant. Kira, Rangiku, and Shuhei got used to having a drink on Saturday night and sometimes in the middle of the week or in the middle of the day when Matsumoto was alone in her division.

The years had passed since. He was not exactly the young kōhai enamored with his sempai. He considered himself a bit more like a man who loved a woman in love with another. He had never understood the attraction that people could have for Gin Ichimaru. Kira and Matsumoto probably shared the secret, maybe it was something that eluded him completely.

" You're not going to bed? We patrolled all night."

Outside, the sun was about to reach its zenith. Shuhei turned to his captain.

"Huh, right? No, not yet."

He said getting dressed. It was not uncommon to find Renji in the locker room. Unlike his former captain, Renji saw no problem in sharing the lives of his subordinates. Shuhei threw a set of clean clothes and a towel his way. It was undoubtedly the relaxed atmosphere of the eleventh division that had left traces on Renji, he had no trouble walking naked in the middle of the regiment. Hisagi refused to think that it was habits that Renji had taken in the sixth division. He did not imagine at all Byakuya Kuchiki naked among his men. Shuhei scratched his head. That was a very disturbing image he had just now.

"Are you going to visit her?"

Shuhei nodded.

"Maybe I could go with you? It's been a while since I've seen Rangiku? She must be shriveled and dry like an old apple in her hospital bed.

Renji lowered his head, tying his hakama.

"She is even more beautiful." Shuhei countered.

" I know. Ran could never get ugly even if she wanted to. It's just ... Ran ..."

"Taicho, you should get some rest. You led the two teams yesterday through the Rukongai. And then, there were these hollows ..."

"Arf, class 1, nothing very exciting," Renji answered, cleaning his ear with a finger.

" In fact, I would feel bad taking a nap knowing that Orihime is still missing. I can't imagine what Ichigo is going through ..."

"You two are rather close."

At first, Renji was tempted to deny it but then he realized Shuhei was probably right.

"At the beginning, we just had common interests… and he helped me through a very difficult patch. I don't know I can easily understand not feeling strong at all and not being able to protect a person you care about. Ichigo is a good guy. Yes, I guess we are friends and I'm worried."

On these words, a butterfly from Hell passed through one of the shutters and landed on Shuhei's hand.

"What is going on ?" Renji asked as he finished tying his Hakama, his hair wet.

"Karakura is under attack right now. We have just received news from Captain Ichinose and Vice-Captain Terashima. Code 9 is in force."

" Rukia is fighting?" Renji muttered, a bit worried.

" I'm sure she's fine. Captain Kuchiki and Captain Ichinose are there anyway."

Shuhei took out a bouquet of yellow lilies from his locker before closing it.

"Yes, I know but it's not the same thing. It's strange to think that Ichigo cannot help. Hey, you are damn well prepared?"

"Oh! It's nothing! The florist who delivers the fourth division for Unohana-taicho's Ikebana class is nice enough to drop a bouquet every morning in my locker. I pay him at the end of the month."

Renji's eyes widened.

" Every morning ?"

Hisagi opened the way. Renji picked up his captain haori before following his vice-captain outside.

" Women love flowers," Shuhei replied casually.

That was not exactly the question? Renji thought. But he refused to comment on the extravagant expenses of Shuhei. No wonder He couldn't make ends meet at the end of the month!

After making their way in silence, they found the doors of the fourth division closed.

"It's strange ?"

"Special measures because of Gin?"

"I did not hear anything about that and Gin has been transferred back last night in his cell," Renji said.

In one leap, Shuhei tried to step over the wall but he immediately fell back on his side with his bouquet. He grunted in pain. Renji held out his hand to help him up.

"A Kido barrier. Call central Shuhei. We have a breach."

Shuhei complied and very quickly a first warning siren sounded in all Seireitei.

On both sides of the Seireitei, factions set out to fight.

"I think I can undo the Kido's barrier with Zabimaru. Step back."

Renji unsheathed his katana and directed it toward the doors.

" Howl Zabimaru."

Zabimaru hit the double doors twice before bursting through them on the next try. It made his way through the kido barrier. They dashed through the corridors of the fourth division. Where were they all? They heard screams upstairs. Recognizing the voice of Vice-Captain Isane, Shuhei and Renji headed for the first floor.

"Isane-san!"

"Over there! In Rangiku's room!"

Isane-san's attacker was ten times faster than them, and with two kicks, placed simultaneously on his chest, Shuhei was propelled back and crashed against the wall. The blast raised a cloud of dust. From the corner of his eye, Shuhei saw his captain engage in a duel with a giant hollow monster. The wall and a part of the roof collapsed on them. Everything went dark.

A drop of blood tickled his eyelid. Sounds were just muted for a while. Hisagi opened one eye after another. The hallway undulated in red tones. He touched his brow. His fingers were wet. His eyebrow was slit and he was bleeding.

"Taicho!"

Shuhei realized that his chest had been sliced down the length. The wound was not deep enough to put his life in jeopardy but it hurts like a bitch every time he moved. The roof had disappeared all along the corridor and some of the walls collapsed under the weight of Renji's bankai. He could see the sun at its high. He coughed a little. Holy shit! What just happened here? A war. He didn't have time to do anything not even think. Hisagi looked for his captain. His clothes in rags, Renji was lying face down under a pile of rubble. Hisagi rolled him over quickly and almost gasped as he noticed his dehydrated features, dry lips, eyes looking hollow and dead. Hihiou Zabimaru had returned to its original form.

"Captain? Renji? Renji?! Wake up!"

Renji gave a low moan as Hisagi dusted the area around him to lay him flat on the ground. Renji was staring at the ceiling in shock. Hisagi scanned the corridor and its surroundings. What exactly happened? Behind him, Isane Kotetsu began to recover. Hisagi groggily stood up again and picking up Isane, he helped her up. He went around the bodies present. Four members of the fourth division gave no sign of life. They looked mummified, emptied of their essence. The third seat, Lemura Yasochika, was definitely dead his throat slit, his neck swinging in a strange angle. He blinked twice. What of Rangiku?

He rushed into her room ... Her bed was empty. There was no trace of Matsumoto anywhere except for her zanpakutō still hanging on a stand on a wobbly dresser. Hitsugaya remained perched on the window as surprised as the vice-captain. The captain of the tenth division tried to catch his breath.

"Shit !" The young captain growled. " What happened here ?"

Hisagi stared at the empty bed without being able to say a word. Isane Kotetsu appeared on the threshold of the door.

"I was unable to do anything. There was ... There was nothing I could do. Taicho went to the real world … She was called because of ca-ca-casualties… Yellow gates… They say!"

"What did you just say, Kotetsu!" Hitsugaya jumped on the ground. What the fuck was she saying?

"I… tried… I just… I could not ... They are ... They are dead ... Are they all dead? They are all dead."

Hitsugaya stared at the two lieutenants before he noticed Abarai's body on the floor. He rushed to help Renji.

"Abarai? Listen to me… You stay with me."

Hitsugaya leaned toward him. Renji looked like he gained at least a millennia at once. He was so shriveled and withered.

"What the hell happened? Someone answer me, now! " Toshiro roared, forcing Shuhei and Isane out of their trance.

Shuhei blinked, moving on autopilot.

"They were several. At least two. Maybe more. They were organized. I did not have time to take a count. But that traitor was with them. I was knocked down..."

Isane turned to Hisagi and seemed to notice his wounds. This pulled her out of her dazed state.

" They knew exactly their target. Their attack was swift like Shuhei said. Captain Unohana was not there. She had to attend the front line in Karakura because… the "Yellow gates" protocol was engaged. It was relayed to the Kuchiki family. Their physician joined Unohana-taicho… "

"The fuck are you telling me, Kotetsu? You're telling me Kuchiki is dead?" Hitsugaya barked, not even watching his language.

"I don't know. They left thirty minutes ago with a surgical team. It was bad. That's all I know."

Shuhei went back to his captain's side. Isane leaned over Renji too and began to administer first aid. What could she do? What was she doing? What was she trying? She herself could not have answered these questions. Hisagi grabbed her trembling hands firmly. Isane looked at him, totally petrified.

"Go on, Captain is strong. Just do your best. We were just here to visit Matsumoto. Found out they installed a kido barrier on the door. They took her. They're going to pay for this."

Going back and forth, Isane eventually installed one perfusion on Renji's neck. She methodically counted the casualties and started triage.

"How did an Arrancar manage to go through the barrier of the Seireitei?" Toshiro barked.

"Geren Koshinko ... It's coming back to me! I knew I had seen this shinigami somewhere. It was Geren Koshinko." Isane said.

"The director of the prison… Geren Koshinko... The third seat of the second division?"

Shuhei nodded. Yes, it made sense now. Toshiro turned to Shuhei immediately.

"Soifon must be notified immediately."

Shuhei agreed and started to open a Kido communication channel.

"Here, the vice-captain Shuhei Hisagi of the ninth division, the fourth division was attacked. I repeat the fourth division was attacked. Matsumoto Rangiku was kidnapped. At least four dead and a dozen wounded. Among which Captain Abarai Renji. We demand immediate medical assistance. We also request for immediate reinforcements. The traitor has been identified as the third seat "Geren Koshinko". He is accompanied by at least an arrancars. They are very dangerous. All information allowing to have their position must be reported to the central office immediately. Very dangerous individuals. Do not try to apprehend alone. I repeat. These are very dangerous individuals. Do not try to apprehend."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = Careful words to a blind man


	34. Careful words to a blind man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Around the world, something not great is happening right now. 😞🤔I cannot express how difficult it's been not to succumb to utter panic as a crisis like I've mostly seen in movies is happening right before my eyes. I implore all of you wherever you are to be most careful against the Covid-19 virus. Stay home if your country officials ask it of you. Take your precaution around people, any people. Remember in protecting yourself you protect others. 😷😉

* * *

**Hitsugaya Tōshirō**

_Captain of the Tenth Division of Gotei 13_

_Childhood friend of Momo Hinamori_

_He sometimes wondered about Gin Ichimaru or the "rest of the world," who was blinder._

* * *

Hitsugaya wasn't ready to leave his anger behind ever since he heard what Ichimaru did. That Gin tried to call his zanpakutō was already incomprehensible, that he tries to cheat justice altogether using this crazy technique like the tacky parody of a suicide attempt was sufficiently unforgivable, it was a new betrayal, a new footprint by the former captain of the third division in his biography with the working title "the roots of evil". But to think nobody was holding him accountable for this someway or another, completely irritated him.

So, a couple of days later, he was naturally back in the Senzaikyū, searching for answers, at least that's what he planned to do. The Onmitsukidō guards parted in front of him without much difficulty. He still had his pre-sentencing accreditation given by the Sōtaicho. When he entered the cell, he noticed that Gin was lying on his bed, his forearm hiding his face. Even though part of his face was a healthier shade of pink, the arm that concealed the rest of his expression, was still as pale as death itself. The man spared him a brief look before returning to his original position.

"A Visitor? What a nice surprise!"

Toshiro didn't share in his amusement, almost barking in answer.

"You could have died! What were you thinking Ichimaru? Why did you use Enkeikuroryū? If Unohana had not been there…you could have died!"

Gin burst out laughing.

"I could have died. I hope that's just today's ironic entry in your kiddie daily diary because I can't bear all that fake sentiment. It makes me sick!"

He suddenly bolted upright, leaning heavily against the wall, his eyes circled with red and purple betraying his exhaustion. He looked positively awful.

"Don't worry, I got patched up quite nicely by Unohana. I'm like new! So, it's useless to send the wreaths right away. I will be kicking it with all of you in ten days at my execution. They told me I can choose what I can wear... If I want to make arrangements for a burial site, where all you people can cry and mourn me. Obviously I have to pay with my own money but I was a captain... I suppose I was earning quite a living here. Oh, I'm petitioning for my last meal to be cooked by the New AIZEN. I love anything Nabe… According to one of my guards, "New Aizen" is super talented in a kitchen. She is from the family that owned the Bentobu. Can you believe that? Aizen took me there once… way way back when he wanted to impress me. It was amazing… I ate these scallops that…were so tender… It was like sucking bone marrow out of a baby's spine! Delicious! Also, her father is fucking Tadashi Ichinose?! He is a legend. I mean you are a legend too, Hitsugaya-taicho, my hero! I obviously wet myself every time I see you. But that man… He is the man. He works for the God above all gods. He works for the Spirit King! Did you know?"

"Thought you didn't care about celebrities?"

"He is no pop singer. He actually has a craft I admire."

"Killing people…"

"Cooking fabulous dishes… for the elite. Now, I want to meet Aizen n°2 even more. I feel we're fated to be together."

"I don't understand, you know her. You were in the advanced class together with Kuchiki. At least it's what I heard."

He frowned.

"The… advanced class…That's… old... No! You're not talking about Chubby-chan? That girl was such a trip back then! She was the only girl in that class. We used to prank Kuchiki all the time. I think he learned a bit about humility there. Me. I had an awesome time. Classes were so easy and Chubby-Chan, she never took anything seriously. She showed me how to ride clouds. Yes, you can actually ride them. She had a killer reiatsu this one. Not even joking. Crazy, I didn't know who she was at the time. She just disappeared and I thought she was dead. And you're telling me she's Tadashi Ichinose's daughter? Wow, you can say anything, this guy knows how to recruit people. If I had a wish before I die, I'd get a date with her, just to ask about a father like a fanboy. I mean freaking Tadashi Ichinose! Zero Squad, Tadashi Ichinose!"

"A date? Stop joking?! This is serious! I'm serious here!"

Gin smirked with a nod.

"You know what I mean."

He his head mischievously.

"Oh sorry, I forgot you don't know actually, kid."

Toshiro simply looked at him, with a pure look of aggravation on his face.

"Or maybe you do… Was it… that Hinamori girl? Did she pick your cherry? You can tell me... I wouldn't tell a soul."

"You're gross."

"Not a bad choice... The situation sucks… a bit...for you. No way she will ever let you get close to that garden paradise again I bet. I wouldn't after what you've done. I'm not even a girl…this emotional and all… "

"Is this why you picked her out? Was it to torment me? I need to know?"

Gin burst into laughing.

"We are having this conversation again, it's like I'm talking to a wall. You cannot think for a second I gave two fucks about that flat-chested girl or… you? That was all Aizen, man! That sucks! I don't torture people! Sorry. I mean I used to do that! But waste of my time now I'm grown, now I know better, now I just kill them… and move on. Destroying what they like the most before ending their lives was more his MO than mine."

Toshiro snapped.

"You want to know something! You failed! I don't like Hinamori like that…You and Aizen, you were wrong. You choose the wrong target! She was just my friend. She was just innocent!"

"Then who you like, like that? You're so sleek. You managed to hide this from the big Creep! Bravo! See! I can respect you at last! That's a manly move!" Gin said, clapping hands.

Who he likes? He didn't like anyone. He didn't... Toshiro blushed as he abruptly thought of Karin Kurosaki… her face overlapped quickly by Rangiku's. He didn't like anybody like that! What's with this question? What's with that man asking questions?

"I don't care for your respect!"

"That's not true!" Gin winked. "You're her baby… She made you a man, didn't she? She's got such a big heart. I'm not surprised."

The way he said it was disgusting. She was the one who brought him here. Rangiku. She didn't have one ambitious bone inside her. The caring and nurturing woman he knew didn't care for power plays. She just genuinely cared for her friends. He loved that woman. Sure. She was family. They were family.

"You're disgusting, you sully anything you touched."

"Probably true. But I bet you looked at her and thought maybe one day… I'd be old enough… I'd be tall enough… I'd be strong enough!"

"Shut up… You don't know me!"

"Well, since you always wanted to be me... I kinda feel a tight bond between you and me."

"I never wanted to be you! You're a monster, Ichimaru! I will never be anything like you."

"Yup, you're not. You were born on the other side of the mirror and that's why, a secret for a secret, she will never ever be yours."

Gin simply smiled. There was an awkward pause as if the truth was even more brutal a strike than one could expect. Toshiro was the first to flinch. His face told the whole story. Positively delighted at the damage he caused; Gin kept that smirk on his lips. There was no denying he took a great pleasure in this. Having fun was probably better than reassess his priorities in life. Having fun was certainly better than being depressed about something he couldn't change. It was better than having to reveal what really was going on with him. How tired he suddenly felt, how he felt each breath he took could currently be his last... How he could no longer feel Rangiku since the sun was up… And how the absence of her was diffusing like liquid poison in his veins erasing all hope he had he did this for some valid reasons. No, Gin Ichimaru rather get a good laugh while he could.

"Ah yes? You wanted to ask something, kid? I'm listening."

Tōshirō hesitated. His mind was pretty much reeling with a headache. He knew he wasn't supposed to let that guy's words get to him. He didn't like Rangiku like that. No, he didn't. She was just his lieutenant, his best friend… She was just like a big sister to him. She was so caring and nurturing. She was giving so much at all time, pretending to be a selfish airhead. So, what Gin said did hurt a bit, because she didn't think twice about giving what she had to that guy without thinking what that could do to him, her captain. It hurts because he was quite angry with her for putting them in that situation. He shook his head, feeling so vulnerable, standing there.

"Do you know anything about the PRIMEROS?" He asked forcefully.

Gin nodded.

"You knew? Why am I not surprised?"

Nonchalantly, Gin shrugged.

"Ichimaru?"

"His failed experiments? It was no big secret he's been doing this with the Hōgyoku for years. The Primeros were kept in a wing of Las Noches. I only met one. Rigor Mortis. There was empty space between his two ears, couldn't hold much of a conversation, but could make a mess of a person and do some miraculous shit! I hated that thing. If you see it, my advice is to Run as far and as fast as you can. Aizen used to get rid of them just after conception since they were only supposed to be prototypes. But he was known to make exceptions. Aizen was creating monsters. Kaname raised Menos. I was just the cool guy who was sometimes asked to serve tea! Nobody ever asked me how I went about doing that. And if you want to know everything ..."

Tōshirō cut him immediately.

"Do you know anyone named Enzo Weavorpine?"

Gin remained neutral.

"No. Is he your new flirt? Is he gonna call me daddy soon?"

Tōshirō turned on his heels immediately, going for the door.

"It's just a joke. I don't even get a recovery card and some balloons? Boy, I'm heartbroken!"

"For the record, I am already ten times the man you will ever be, Ichimaru! Ten times!"

Tōshirō slammed the door behind him.

Okay, that conversation spiraled out of control fast. Toshiro thought as he paced in his office. To think he lost control over his emotions so quickly like a newbie. As much as he wanted to wipe that smirk off Gin's face himself, he needed to hold it together until that guy finally gets what's coming to him. If Rangiku had been there, she ... What? If Rangiku had been there, maybe things would have been different. Strangely, he could not imagine his lieutenant's reaction. None of the things she did, he ever thought she would do. Rangiku could be so surprising, unbearable and childish one minute, the next thoughtful and wise. He had no idea what she would do in the present situation. Would she try something insane to help Gin escape death?

**Bleach OST - Never Meant To Belong**

Toshiro sighed as he sat down in his chair. He was suffocating in that empty office. He remembered her smile as she came by his grandmother's house to get him to join the Gotei. He would be nothing without her really. Something Gin had said resonated deep within him. She made him. Maybe she did. It pissed him off how accurate Ichimaru had been. Rangiku picked him up at his lowest when his grandmother was dying, the only family he ever knew. She picked him up when he didn't know what to do with his life.

_"You have powers. Such an impressive level of spiritual pressure. That makes you different. It makes it hard for your entourage to stay close to you. Your grandmother is sick because of you."_

_"You think I don't know that! You're not supposed to say it like I'm doing this intentionally!"He retorted._

_"That's not what I'm saying but I'm not gonna sugarcoat things and treat you like a child. You're not a child. It wouldn't be fair to you. I know you understand you cannot stay here any longer. The truth is you remind me of someone I really care about. He was just like you lost and without purpose until he joined the Gotei 13. He seems to have found it there. I followed him you know and I found purpose too. The Gotei is a place where people like us can find peace and a direction… and it can't hurt there's plenty of pretty girls to check out... If you're scared..."_

_"I'm not scared! I'm not scared of anything!" He shouted, feeling his eyes tearing up against his will._

_Rangiku crouched to his level._

_"In any case, I'll be with you every step of the way. I will always be with you! I promise! You won't ever be alone again."_

_Rangiku finished with a wink, leaning so her cleavage was just inches from his face. He blushed so hard then he pushed her back hard with all his strength. But she was holding onto him like a leech and he found himself leaning in her warmth._

Toshiro swallowed hard, wiping the exhaustion off his face and the moisture in his eyes. How things got so complicated?

Karakura was a real mess. Without Ichigo, the city was left without a protector. Will Kuchiki and Ichinose be enough to make the difference if there was a problem? Captain Kuchiki was more than competent. He could not really judge Suki's skills. Before they left, he lent her all of Matsumoto's DVDs on the world of the living. That's the only help he could offer. She seemed like a good person. At least she had managed to get Hinamori back on track. Hinamori, too, was in the real world. She, who had just recovered from her wounds, was she ready?

They had not spoken much since her discharge from the hospital. To tell the truth, he did everything he could to avoid her. He had heard that she and Ichinose-taicho got along well and spent a lot of time together. It was enough for him to know she found a friend in her new captain. He will never be able to find the right words to apologize for his behavior. Their relationship, if there was ever one —someday, he doubted she ever trusted him— was was Ichimaru's fault. It was Aizen's fault. It was her fault for believing that maniac over him. Toshiro was angry with Momo.

He knew he did not have the right to be furious against her considering she was just a victim. Yet he was. He had so much trouble recognizing the girl he had grown up with. Just like Rangiku, she was family and there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. But ... whatever relationship they had, whatever he felt for her, there was nothing left but anger and shame. He had lost her. Aizen had won. He did not know what that bastard had won. But Toshiro and Momo were not intact. He came out of his thoughts with a sigh. A butterfly from hell flew straight in his direction. _What now!_

He barely gathered the information delivered to him that he used Shunpo to go to the Fourth Division. _The fourth division has been attacked!_ It could not happen. Not again! Not in addition to everything else! He crossed the courtyard and perched himself on the edge of the window in the room.

"Matsumoto!"

Shit! Her bed was empty. He let out a curse.

"What happened here?"

He asked even though he already knew. The enemy knew how they worked and how weak they were. That's what happened! They had been caught off guard again. The enemy understood that their defense was fragile. He watched the two lieutenants before he noticed Abarai's body in the hallway. Hisagi stared at the empty bed without being able to say a word. Isane Kotetsu appeared on the threshold of the door.

"I was unable to do anything, Captain Hitsugaya! There was ... There was nothing I could do! Taicho went to the real world … She was called because of ca-ca-casualties… Yellow gates… They say!"

"What did you just say, Kotetsu!" Hitsugaya jumped on the ground. What the fuck was she saying? Yellow Gates was the name of the protocol planning captains and officers' funerals. Who died? What was she talking about?

Isane was pacing back and forth in that room, shaking like a leaf.

"I… tried… I just… I could not ... They are ... They are dead ... I have never seen anything like that. Are they all dead? They are all dead. Oh my!"

Hitsugaya stared at the two lieutenants before he noticed Abarai's body on the floor. He rushed to help Renji.

"Abarai? Listen to me… You stay with me. He is breathing! Kotetsu, he is breathing!"

Hitsugaya leaned toward him. Renji looked like he gained at least a millennium at once. He was so shriveled and withered, his chest barely rising and falling.

"What the hell happened? Someone answers me, now!"

Toshiro roared, forcing Shuhei and Isane out of their trance. Shuhei blinked, moving on autopilot. He was sporting a visible head trauma with blood running in his eyes.

"They… They were several. At least two. An arrancar so humongous… It shook the walls… Maybe they were more. They were organized. I can't remember how man. But that traitor was with them. I was knocked down... He knocked me down and… I blacked out."

Isane turned to Hisagi and seemed to notice his wounds. This pulled her out of her dazed state. She grabbed some sheets on the bed to stop his bleeding. Realizing, he was bleeding, he leaned heavily on the sideboard next to the bed.

"They knew exactly their target. Their attack was swift like Shuhei said. Captain Unohana was not there… Here, I mean. She had to attend the front line in Karakura because… the "Yellow gates" protocol was engaged. It was relayed to the Kuchiki family. Their physician joined Unohana-taicho…"

"What the hell, Kotetsu? You're telling me Kuchiki is dead?" Hitsugaya barked, not even watching his language.

"I don't know. They left thirty minutes ago with a surgical team. It was bad. That's all I know."

Shuhei went back to his captain's side. Isane leaned over Renji too and began to administer first aid. At least she tried... What could she do? What could she try? She could not have answered these questions. Hisagi grabbed her trembling hands firmly. Isane looked at him, totally petrified.

"Go on, Captain is strong. Just do your best. Listen, Hitsugaya-Taicho, Renji and I, we were just here to visit Matsumoto after the end of our shift. Found out they installed a Kidō barrier on the door. They took her. They took Rangiku. Whoever did this, they're going to pay for this. We have to find her…"

Going back and forth, Isane eventually installed an IV on Renji's neck. She methodically counted the casualties and started triage. There were so many piles of bodies in the hallway.

"How did an Arrancar go through the Seireitei barrier?" Toshiro barked.

"Geren Koshinko ... It's coming back to me! I knew I had seen this shinigami somewhere. It was Geren Koshinko." Isane said.

"The director of the prison… Geren Koshinko... The third seat of the second division?"

Shuhei nodded. Yes, it made sense now. Toshiro turned to Shuhei immediately.

"Soi fon must be notified immediately."

Shuhei agreed and started to open a Kido communication channel.

"Here, the vice-captain Shuhei Hisagi of the ninth division, the fourth division was attacked. I repeat the fourth division was attacked. Matsumoto Rangiku was kidnapped. At least four dead and a dozen wounded. Among which Captain Abarai Renji. We demand immediate medical assistance. We also request for immediate reinforcements. The traitor has been identified as the third seat "Geren Koshinko". He is accompanied by at least an arrancar. They are very dangerous. All information allowing to have their position must be reported to the central command immediately. Very dangerous individuals. Do not try to apprehend alone. I repeat. These are very dangerous individuals. Do not try to apprehend."

"For Renji, is there anything that I can do?"

Isane shook her head.

"A transfer of reiatsu could help ... I managed to stabilize his reiatsu in some ways, but I don't know what else to do. I have never ... never seen ... His reika continues to deteriorate. The slightest mistake and ..."

She barely finished her words that five members of the fourth division fell apart, leaving only a heap of ashes behind them. Panic seized Lieutenant Kotetsu's heart. Isane shook her head, tears in her eyes.

"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Unohana-taicho needs to be here because I can't do this. This is too much! They are all gonna die! He is going to die!"

Hisagi patted Isane's shoulder.

"Just try..."

"I don't know it seems to affect his internal structure… It is unstable. It's impacting the envelope containing the spirit-matter in his body, what we commonly call Reika."

"What can we do?"

"You don't do anything… Hitsugaya-taicho. Reika is the hardest part of a soul… It's what maintains its structural integrity. If it's unstable, he risked disintegrating…at any moment… It's a critical situation."

"Must be something we could try… Can I give some of it?"

"No. It's impossible to graft this organ. But… Gold. We could give him gold. But what if that killed him… I mean it's a highly allergenic component."

"That's his only chance, right now," Toshiro said calmly.

"You're right, a transfusion of liquid gold… It serves as a reika blocker. We have some in the pharmacy. But it's not nearly enough. I really need more…"

"More like…"

"At least five kilos just to start… Right now, I barely have a few grams of gold powder. It will barely buy thirty minutes top. I mean it's usually rare in Soul Society. But if we could find enough, melted or in powder. I could try to synthesize a remedy… Like an internal dissolvable pad… he could ingest… It could help."

"I'm on it."

The alarm resounded in the background.

"We're on it."

Toshiro stood up with Hisagi.

"Apart from Mayuri Kurotsuchi, I don't know anyone rich or tacky enough to have gold… I mean there's Kuchiki but the Kuchiki's estate is so vast. I have no idea where they put their vault." Toshiro said.

"No, we're gonna get in a heap of trouble for trespassing a noble house alone… They have hundreds of guards, Onmitsukidō trained. They have sixty-nine families affiliated to the clan, and their leader apparently had just died. You want to just go and ask for their riches? I'm right behind you… but not really behind you."

"True, it could start a civil war. It's a pass."

"The Shihouin… They specialize in weird Kidō-based artifacts… Maybe some of them could be in gold…"

"But melting anything the Shihouin made is dangerous in itself. It could trigger some disaster of epic proportions. These people practice the strongest magic. The Shiba?"

"Well, they fell off. I don't think they have gold… The other family I know of…"

"Oh, that's it! I know… where to find some. Omaeda."

"Omaeda is deployed with Soi Fon probably."

"Yet, his father is home. Most importantly his sisters are home. I need to go alone. I have my ways with the Omaedas." Hisagi said.

"Okay, I will go to the Central Command in the meantime. I bet all the captains are gathering there. We need to oversee this situation closely. Abarai-Taicho... Renji is not going to die. He is stronger than this. I know it."

Hisagi nodded.

"You have to find Rangiku."

"I will."

Toshiro nodded before disappearing into thin air. He traveled several minutes on the roofs on the Seireitei and enter the Control Command Center. A few minutes later, he was pushing the door of the strategic conference room, to find Kenpachi, Mayuri, Jūshirō, and Shunsui already there. The cane of the captain-general hit the ground.

"We were expecting you earlier. You may have heard the news."

"I was in the fourth squad clinic. "

"Oh better! What can you tell us, Hitsugaya?"

"The assailants were gone when I arrived. They have my vice-captain. Several arrancars... led by one of ours attacked the fourth division, kidnapping my lieutenant. It seemed to have been their target all along. The traitor was identified Hisagi and Kotetsu as the third seat Geren Koshinko. That's when we open a channel to alert all the captains."

"Geren Koshinko… is it. I thought I heard wrong."

"Yes, him."

"That rascal! Unacceptable! You said they left with Matsumoto? She was still in the coma I presume." Yamamoto groaned.

"Kotetsu-Fukutaicho didn't state otherwise. All I know is Abarai and Hisagi tried to stop them, but they were untimely defeated. The attack went so fast. All was said and done when I arrived."

"How is Abarai doing?"

"He was still critical when I left. But Kotetsu was in the process of treating his injury with an experimental treatment. She said she could try to curb the deterioration of his reika using Gold. Hisagi knew were to find the gold. So, I urged both vice-captains to try… I gave them permission."

"You did well."

"The wounds inflicted by that creature killed at least thirteen members of the fourth division. Kotetsu was still counting the casualties when I left. I really cannot pronounce myself on Renji's chances. "

"Renji is strong. He is going to make it." Komamura said.

"When is Unohana coming back?" Shunsui asked.

"Well, she is wrapping up with the surgery of Kuchiki Rukia."

"About that… I heard about Yellow Gates… for Kuchiki..."

"Oh! Old news! It was canceled." Yamamoto said, coldly. "It had been a premature call. It seemed both Kuchiki will end up making it."

Jūshirō said nothing but Toshiro could swear he wanted to. Shunsui rolled his eyes comically. It seemed quite easy for Yamamoto to scratch names or not on his captain list. His voice was so emotionless.

"It's impossible for Unohana-taicho to come back and that is a bit of a problem. When Abarai will be stable, we will just have to ask Sasakibe to supervise his transfer to our Headquarters in Karakura. This, being settled. We have a lot to discuss here."

Ukitake and Shunsui frowned.

"Who's gonna catch some Primeros? I volunteer." Kenpachi cut in and Mayuri took over.

"I suspect looking at the symptoms that Hitsugaya and Urahara described, that this is the very same "Rigor Mortis" who brought back Ulquiorra Schiffer to life. We must do everything to capture him. Dead or alive. Imagine all that can be learned from the dissection of such specimen."

"I'm not as intent on capturing it than on killing that thing for kidnapping my lieutenant," Toshiro said gruffly.

"You're an idiot then! Please, can I talk to people who are not idiots?" Mayuri replied.

Soi Fon arrived at the same time, interrupting the elucubrations of the captain of the twelfth division. He was not happy.

"Well, more idiots joining in. Why not?" Mayuri noted.

The brunet flashed him a glare as she found a seat around the strategic table.

"I will cut right to the chase. I just searched with my team the house of Koshinko outside the Seireitei. It's a bloodbath. There is no longer any record of those arrancars. That traitor wasn't there either. There is an assumption that his family taken hostage, Geren was forced to obey the enemy. But I just believe he sold us out because it was just convenient for him. When I get my hand on this son of a bitch, Sōtaicho, I'm gonna make him pay."

"Oh! Is that all you could deduce with that feeble brain of yours?" Mayuri said.

He hadn't forgotten their past quarrels.

"Enough," Shunsui said. "We were just saying that their attacks had been swift and surgically precise. They entered the fourth squad, annihilated all oppositions, and grabbed their target. Matsumoto. The real question is why? Hitsugaya, do you have an idea?"

"Now why don't you ask that good man you saved the day before yesterday?"

"You think Gin is behind all this."

"I cannot exactly vouch for the guy! He tried to kill me and my friends several times!"

"I don't believe it. He would never do anything to hurt Rangiku." Ukitake said, thoughtful.

"How do you know that? How can you be so sure? All I'm seeing is that she's gone now in the hand of the enemy. They have a bargaining tool now against us."

"It doesn't make any sense. If they wanted to free Ichimaru, they largely had the resources to do just that. They almost overpowered three of our captains."

"Maybe they couldn't take the Senzaikyū?"

"Do you really believe that? You were there? And you believe that?" Jūshirō snapped.

Toshiro lowered his head.

"I don't. I actually don't believe any of this. But I don't know what to believe anymore. Why would they need first Orihime Inoue, then Rangiku…? I mean it's just Rangiku. Her only connection to this mess is Ichimaru."

"If only, you all had let me dissect Matsumoto's Bankai before her abduction..."

"Don't try me, Kurotsuchi? I'm so not in the mood."

"Try you? You, emotional brat. If all of you stopped behaving like children, we wouldn't be here?"

"Who's behaving like a child now, Mayuri?" Shunsui asked, amused.

Yamamoto said nothing. Jūshirō cocked his head, lost in his thoughts. Soi Fon was shaking her head disapprovingly. Komamura didn't know how to react. He hated conflicts.

"Geren tried to be captain and failed. Is it even relevant? " Komamura ventured.

" I don't know. This is all too convenient, I think. First, they take Orihime, but then Schiffer betrayed them, by returning to Karakura with her. That was the first glitch in their plan. The only mistake they made so far. Everything else went according to the plan. So, if we follow the pattern here. We know what Koshinko was looking for in the archives now. " **Hōjō, Way of Demonic Transgressions."** That book is one of the most dangerous ever written."

"You're really sure it's that book?" Mayuri mused.

"Hojō? You mean a book of forbidden techniques like Enkeikuroryū." Komamura frowned.

"No, we're not talking of just any forbidden techniques. Forbidden techniques are mostly the sacrificial kind. Dangerous, yes. But these use the most ancient unstable raw demonic energy."

"Demonic..."

"Back in ancient times... Before the ages of men... They were Demons walking the earth... When they disappeared their raw spirit served partly as a foundation for the spirit world." Jushiro explained."These techniques could trigger cataclysmic results like the end of all lives in soul Society... or all lives on earth... That's how powerful they are. These are techniques bending the rules of the spirit world itself. "Shunsui explained.

"Well, what a book like this was doing in your unprotected walk-ins, I mean archives?" Mayuri asked sarcastically, not hiding his contempt. Not his fault, he felt surrounded by apes.

Shunsui shook his head at first, reining on his temper, but couldn't help but respond.

"It was transferred there after you try to steal it. Don't you remember sitting in jail because you wanted to conquer the universe… and change Men into Proficient beasts... and Kisuke Urahara dragging your ass out of there."

"Fool, my question was more along the lines what was it doing into your soapy idiotic hands?"

"It's part of an itinerant collection with a bunch of other more or less important relic. Meaning it randomly travels from archives to archives. The thirteenth division was guarding it twenty years ago."

"You answer this guy? Don't!" Shunsui said.

"Who you think you're talking to? I was not the only one wanting this book. Nobody said anything when that Kuchiki got his friend out of a royal jail with it."

Toshiro frowned at that. What was that? Jūshirō's eyes went wide and his mouth was open in stupefaction. Everybody was stunned. Yamamoto was playing with his beard.

"Kurotsuchi! Shut up!"

"Who got who out of jail?" Soi Fon asked. It obviously happened before her time, she never heard that story.

"It's not that Kuchiki. It happened a long time with Byakuya's father. It's a long story. Clearly not relevant to the situation at hand."

"The fifth division was guarding the book at some point. So Aizen may have known it exists."

"And the second division ensured every transfer...it's convenient."

Soi Fon grimaced.

"I can see where you're coming from Komamura, but this..."

"It's Geren Koshinko. That's how he knew where to find the book." Komamura added.

"Wrong, I gave Omaeda this task and..." She said but she trailed off before finishing her sentence. Fuck! That jerk probably commissioned Geren behind her back out of laziness?! That fool!

"Enough children!" Yamamoto grumbled. "We are not making any progress and time is of the essence. They stole it. We do not care how at the moment. For now, all I want to know is why."

"Any of you know what was in there? Any of you read that book?" Soi Fon asked.

Jūshirō and Shunsui looked at each other.

"You can tell them." Yamamoto said rising from his chair, pinching his nose.

"Well, there are things in there… you don't wanna know about… But I believe the most likely explanation was that they took it to forge another interdimensional key."

"They want to go to Muken. Great. So they open a door ? Seems pretty simple to me..."

"Those dimensions do not work quite like that."

"These are royal dimensions. Meaning only the king knows exactly where it is in space and time." Jūshirō said.

Mayuri frowned.

"You cannot just open the door and hope to stumble upon it. It's practically impossible if the king of the spirits doesn't want you to. You will have to fight gravitational forces of impossible magnitude."

"But there's a way…"

"Like Oken, you have to have the right key. But a spell of this nature would be…"

"Almost impossible to perform…"

Dengeki made her surprising entrance.

"I'm sorry If I'm late. But seems to me, I arrived just in time. Note that my "Almost" was being the keyword."

They all fell silent.

"I see, they could use the book to get to Aizen... Notwithstanding the power they would need to do that, even Orihime Inoue's powers would not be enough to break a seal of this caliber. He has twelve of them installed that we know of, courtesy of Urahara Kisuke. It would take an inexhaustible source to open a portal and catalyze her negation powers."

"Ichimaru." Dengeki said as she sat down next to Soi Fon.

"What?"

"My answer. To your question. That was a question, right?"

"Dengeki…"

"I want to know why nobody is saying anything about the fact that Former captain Ichimaru tried Enkeikuroryū while in captivity, in a building made of sekisekki, and he is still able to talk about it. I checked just before I came here. The man is even back to walking. That should be purely impossible. I want to know why his Bankai was only partially registered just like Ichinose's. I mean that's a question for the Sōtaicho as well since his file has been redacted and I can't access the unredacted version of how this man came to be captain. No name. No filiation. No date of entry into Soul Society. No known allies except for Rangiku Matsumoto. I also checked. Also if you could tell me why he had been suspected of more than twenty thousand disappearances in the Rukon district over the last centuries and how was he still allowed to enter the academy Shin'ō in the advanced class, no less. I want to know why you allowed a known serial killer among us to walk among the elites. I want to know why you allowed all this to happen under your nose."

The room gasped at her sudden boldness. It was clear she was addressing Yamamoto.

"Dengeki, I think we get the picture." Jūshirō said.

"I don't think so. We don't know where he comes from. We don't know anything about this guy. My lieutenant is mesmerized by him. He is devoted to him without question like I think most of you are. it is insanity. You don't see things clearly as far as he is concerned."

"I can see your point. But I said that's enough because I don't think focusing on Gin is the answer to all our problems. You don't know anything about Gin. He was one of us. He was a captain for more than a hundred years or so. You better start respecting that! If you want to understand Izuru's devotion, you better start there." Jūshirō said sternly.

"Ukitake!" Yamamoto intervened.

"That's my whole point! This weird devotion!" She retorted.

"He served! That's my point! He may have made some mistakes along the way. But he led 290 men to battle for a hundred years! You want a killer? Look around you, this is not a monastery brotherhood. We all did things we are not proud of."

"Calm down, Shiro-chan. She didn't mean it like that."

Jūshirō sighed. He seldom lost his temper.

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you, Kyouraku. But I don't need an interpreter. You want your unlimited source of energy, Ukitake! Don't look further! That's your guy right there!"

"Then why didn't they simply take him!"

"I was coming to this part. I said that on one side it would take a reiatsu of a phenomenal power to break seals of this magnitude. To not only open but harness a royal portal. It may take all the captains currently in this room… Maybe they have such a lineup, with them being Primeros with captain-levels reiatsu ...and maybe they can hope to succeed with some of them dying in the process. But then who will have enough strength to break that seal. On the other hand, Gin Ichimaru tried Enkeikuroryū in a Sekisekki tower and it didn't erase the smirk on his face. Can't you see it? That same Gin Ichimaru who visited Matsumoto Rangiku, knocking out nearly all of his guards despite the reiatsu inhibitor cuffs that in theory should have drained his strength ...The same Ichimaru that stood up to fully powered three times evolved Aizen when you all failed…"

"Thanks for the glorious reminder…" Shunsui croaked.

Soi Fon rolled her eyes. Dengeki was managing to be even blunter than her. She was quite a cold bitch if we must put it in even less endearing terms. Komamura scratched his facial hair. Kenpachi shook his head. He didn't lose against Aizen. He was not there. Just like Kurotsuchi who was looking at his painted nails, ignoring all these stupid people.

"We all passed the Seishinkokyū [1] at least once. Why didn't you ask the same for Ichimaru?"

"Who said I didn't ask? Unfortunately, the results were inconclusive. There is only one flaw to this test. It is in the tester's ability to be forthcoming or not. It doesn't work if the tester purposefully downplays his strength or isn't aware of it."

"Gin is sneaky. We know it but ... to think he has that kind of power is a stretch. I fought that guy! I would know!" Tōshirō started.

"I hear you, Dengeki. But I have to agree with Hitsugaya there." Komamura said.

Yamamoto remained pensive. Dengeki continued.

"The classification of reiatsu levels... Not a bad theory overall... It makes sense." Shunsui whispered.

"What if Gin Ichimaru was in that one percent? The one percent nobody talks about."

"You know how impossible that sounds."

"It wasn't impossible when you asked me to follow Ichigo." Toshiro noticed.

"But Gin… He is…He has no lineage…" Jushiro said.

"That we know of…" Yamamoto intervened. "That we know of… What? Did you all really think I didn't ask myself the same questions you did? Of course. I congratulate you for your impeccable reasoning. But I won't explain how captains are recruited here. I won't digress further. This is not just a matter of reiatsu. It's not about what one did for a living. It's not who somebody is, or how he arrived in Soul Society. Like Jūshirō rightfully explained, this is not a pacifist retreat. We are here because we made vows to slay evils, to stand facing adversities together. Yes, Ichimaru, sporting the appearance of a child, hunted those he felt had wronged the system, thieves, rapists, and murderers. A total of 247 spirits disappearances could directly be traced back to Ichimaru. The rest is just reports... Some of these reports are at least seven hundred years old and greatly exaggerating."

"You mean Ichimaru could be seven hundred years old?" Kenpachi asked. At least, he thought he got his maths right.

Yamamoto shrugged slowly. Did it really matter? However, Jushiro and Shunsui frowned at the implication.

"Nothing could be certain. Some of those are quite exaggerated."

"But they could be true... He could be that old a spirit?"

"You are right. We don't know about Gin. But we don't know a lot about each other either. Hell, I don't know you, lady. Should this be a reason for distrust? I don't feel comfortable with the idea? Time is such a difficult concept around here. We are all old men."

"Dengeki Manatsu. 272 years old. I was born in Soul Society. I spent 35 years at the academy, ten years of which I spent teaching Kido classes. I still do a couple of masterclasses from time to time. I entered the Kido corps under Hachigen Ushōda. I'm married with four children, three boys, one girl. My wife is a teacher at the academy. I hate the color green. I don't eat certain vegetables as a result but I love miso soup. See, wasn't that difficult? "

"You have four children?"

"Yes, I do." She pursed her lips almost into a smile.

"That's not the point!" Yamamoto slammed the table impatiently and rose suddenly. " It's not the point! We, as the Gotei 13, don't care about those insignificant details. We don't care about families or traditional or unorthodox upbringings, or nobility or lack thereof. We don't care about hobbies. We care about efficiency. We care about powers. We care about dedication. We care about will. We care about obstinacy. We care about integrity. We want people to be able to work together. We want people willing to give their lives to vanquish a great evil. Slaying evil together. That is the nature of the Gotei 13! We rose from the shadows in time you have no ability to remember since you were not even born, facing dangers you could not imagine. The world was different then. But we stood for the people when it was needed. We were the only one who could. That is why Geren Koshinko was never chosen! He could never make it! I knew he was unwilling to make any sacrifices! Children, it's not about knowing what somebody is... What he likes... It's about knowing what he is willing to sacrifice... There... And only there you will find the people you can stand with... "

They all grew quiet at the same time. Manatsu looking down anxiously. Jushiro and Shunsui nodding arms crossed, Mayuri trying to decide whether or not he wanted that book back. He was so over using primitive forbidden spells. Komamura and Soi Fon were both embarrassed. They could see Manatsu's point of view. But they didn't want the Sotaicho to think that they were questioning his decisions. Kenpachi was confused about a lot of stuff. Anytime they mentioned reiatsu and technical stuff, he was lost and bored. Really bored. He never cared to know much about these things. As forToshiro was stunned. It was a lot to digest. A lot.

"I, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, acknowledge that prior to his defection, Ichimaru Gin's military record in all areas of concern was stellar. He was a prodigy. He was willing. He was determined. He understood the word sacrifice. Now, I still voted for the traitor to be executed next week because he betrayed us and that will be his punishment. Now that this is settled, I am interested to know more about your theory."

He knocked his cane to make his point. Manatsu swallowed hard and nodded.

"Maybe they want Gin… and they will come to get him next…"

"Or they want him to come to them!" Jūshirō slapped his forehead. "Of course, he wouldn't work for them! It's Gin! He only has one agenda. His own. So how to compel a character like that to actually work for you…"

"You threaten what he loves the most… You're kidding me, right? It was straight under our nose." Toshiro paled.

"It makes perfect sense now." Shunsui added while they all nodded but Mayuri.

"You mean what? Khakis?" Mayuri ventured. He remembered the captain of the third had quite a love affair with these fruits. What were they discussing again?

They all look at him quite annoyed at his interruption.

"So, it's not a question of whether these Primeros have a way of channeling this tremendous energy, it's a question of how and when will they do it? With Kuchiki, Ichinose and Abarai out, we're down to ten men. The odds are not in our favor." Komamura summed up.

Jūshirō winced.

"The first thing to do would be to prevent the news from spreading, Sotaicho. We must prevent the Seireitei from falling into chaos again. Moreover, if the information ever reached the ears of ..."

"The enemy?" Kenpachi asked, trying to follow the logic of the thirteenth captain.

" _Gin…"_ Breathed the captain of the tenth.

"You said it like you think Ichimaru can escape any time our custody."

"I'm not saying it with certainty, Soi Fon. I know you have posted your men there. You even doubled his guards. Yet, we must be careful."

"Imagine the panic that this could cause in our divisions. It is obvious that the enemy has infiltrated us as high as possible in the chain of command. We do not know how far their influence extends."

Soi Fon nodded.

"Gin Ichimaru should not be underestimated."

Shunsui nodded. Tōshirō slapped his face for being so stupid.

"We opened a communication channel earlier?"

"Yes, but only the Jigokuchō are able to deliver the news. He should not be aware..." Dengeki replied.

They all nodded, agreeing.

"Nevertheless, it does not tell us how long before the enemy will strike again. We lost those two consecutive battles. We must prepare for a new confrontation." Shunsui said.

"What are the numbers of the third division?" Yamamoto asked.

"The third division is 73% of its strength but ready to fight."

"I see that Kira's intensive program has paid off." Komamura said.

On the defensive, Dengeki shrugged.

"We coordinated together, and it worked well. I ask that pending the return of Captain Ichinose. The remnant of the fifth division exceptionally merges with the third.

"Granted, Dengeki-taicho. We must regroup in adversity."

She nodded while giving Komamura, a warning look. She was not going to allow anyone to question her authority in front of the Sōtaicho.

Sajin exchanged a glance with Shunsui who gave him a wink. She wasn't easy this one!

"Zaraki-Taicho?" Yamamoto continued. "You will take over Abarai duty with Komamura-taicho."

"My guys are ready. If this Rigor is so big, send it my way."

"We have three wounded captains ..." Jūshirō recalled. "We cannot afford to underestimate the enemy, Kenpachi. Be careful."

"A Kido triangulation will help us determine the best place to open a portal? Shunsui suggested.

"I'm already working on it. Would you like to help me?" Dengeki said.

The seven captains present stared at the young woman like she's grown a second head. Fortunately, she was too engrossed checking the notes in the files in front of her to notice.

Her answer could be considered arrogant if one considered the level of expertise of the two oldest captains of the Gotei. But Shunsui did not take offense and nodded kindly. He winked at Jūshirō.

"Captain Dengeki, we will be glad to "assist" you. With a little luck with our level in Kido, we could be useful." He said in a caustic tone.

"Wait, Jūshirō, I will need you. There is still something…I almost forgot... I have just been informed that Ichinose's father died this morning."

Another unanimous gasp of surprise. Yamamoto raised his hands, quieting them down.

"According to his family, he committed suicide. The circumstances of his death, I admit, are not quite clear at this point. Jūshirō, you will depart for Karakura immediately. I want you to help in any way you can the wounded captains fulfill their duty and make sure Ichinose remained blissfully unaware of her father's premature demise. This information should remain between this council until further notice.

"You're not going to tell her…"

"I need all of you to remain focus on the situation here. Ichinose will be told as soon as we get everything under control. You can tell Kuchiki. He will help you."

"That's pretty harsh, sotaicho…"

"That's an order."

Jūshirō said nothing.

"That's it! You are all dismissed. By the way, Hitsugaya-Taicho, will you give me a minute of your time? I have something I want to discuss with you."

* * *

**Gin Ichimaru**

_Former Captain of the Third Division_

_Former commander of the Arrancar Armies of Aizen_

_Lover of Matsumoto Rangiku_

_He knew no better feeling for an old man than waking up in a blind rage._

* * *

"Yup, you're not. And that's why, from genius to another genius, a secret for a secret, she will never ever be yours."

The silence stretched to infinity. Gin was fundamentally stunned at his own accuracy sometimes. He wished people could surprise him once in a while, and he was delighted at that weird boy's crumpling expression. The great Toshiro Hitsugaya. How the mighty could fall sometimes! Yes, he was probably the type to steal a child's candy just to see it cry. What can he say for his defense except he likes to be entertained? When you lived a rather long life, you would appreciate the value in entertainment. He was positively delighted at the damage he caused. It's not like he ever cared who was in his girl's life. He was not the jealous type. He just knew his girl loves to love and that was a big part of what made her so alluring to him, the fact her heart was so big inside that voluptuous chest of hers, she could shelter so many people inside when he could only cherish her. Her soul was one of the brightest and fluffiest he ever tasted. Rangiku was like liquid gold, so precious and delicate. It was intoxicating, to say the least… He trailed off remembering the first time they met. Some days, he remembered it as the first day of his life… Some days he remembered it like the day that matters after thousands of days of wandering. He supposed it depends on the perspective of the moment.

_He had been walking for hours, aimless, like he used to in that time, looking at the sun at its zenith, studying its feel on his skin, not quite understanding its artificial warm and wondering not for the first time what he was doing there. Why all of this looked so unfamiliar all at the same time? How long he wandered in that deserted place? He himself could never tell. He just knew the sensation of the sandy rocky ground under his feet. So, he was walking as usual when he heard some noises behind a pile of rocks. He approached slowly to discover the girl lying on her back wearing torn rags. He had never seen a girl before her. He remembered seeing lots of creatures back then, animals, hollows, even a couple of ugly hairy villagers, but a short girl with hair this bright and features this delicate, never. She looked positively like an angel thrown out of paradise. The dirt and grime on her face could not even take away her beauty. He crouched, staring at her sleeping form completely mesmerized. It took him a long time to realize that the creature, the girl was in pain. She would roll on the ground, eyes closed, moaning. She was hurt. He watched her curiously, head tilted to the side until he understood. She was hungry. Gin blinked twice. His left pupil was suddenly injected with obsidian black. He had a cat-like pupil and a blue one perfectly normal. He bit his lips and turned around, sniffing the air, searching for water and… He disappeared._

_He vanished leaving only dust and rolling pebbles behind him._

_He didn't know how long it took him. He reappeared at the exact same spot, the ground shaking on his arrival, his arms filled with offerings, some almost dried persimmons he found, and one that was almost perfect. He squinted as he slowly approached the fallen angel and she finally stirred, opening eyes blue like the sky. She frowned in distrust, so he tried to make a face, a kind face… Any face really. He tried to smile, and she just stared at him with big curious eyes._

_"Eat this." He told her; his hand extended to her. "The fact that you passed out from hunger means you must have it too. Spirit energy."_

_She turned slowly toward him._

_"You too?"_

_He nodded._

_"Yes, me too._ _My name is Gin Ichimaru. Nice to meet you." He said, not knowing where all of his sudden appetence for talking was coming from._

_"That's a strange name." She said._

_He wondered if she was right. Was it strange? They had been calling him "One Man" down in the village for as long as he could remember. He never questioned it. She smiled and it was effortless on her part. It was like he understood the warmth in the sun, how it left shadows in her neck, how it flushed her skin pink. The girl was like nothing the boy inside him had ever seen._

_"I am Rangiku… Matsumoto. Thank you very much." She said before biting into the fruit._

_He sat next to her. She ate in silence for a while. Then when she was finished, she finally got back into a seated position._

_"Feeling better?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Did you fall from upstairs?" He asked, showing the sky with his index finger. Gin honestly couldn't remember why he asked._

_"I did not. I was brought here by men wearing black, I think. You?"_

_"I don't quite remember. It's been a long time."_

_"I think you did… Fall." She smiled coyly, blushing._

_He laughed._

_"Why would you think that?"_

_"I prayed the sky and you're here."_

_It was his turn to get a warm feeling inside. He frowned. How did she do that?_

_"Silly, let's try to reach town before nightfall. We can find you new clothes."_

_He said, stirring like a cat._

_"I can come with you?"_

_She looked stunned. He turned with an honest shrug._

_"I wouldn't go without you."_

He could never forget the bright smile she gave him that day and the way she naturally extended her hand toward him. It's like he found what he didn't know he was searching, the day he met her in that sterile place. Gin wiped the exhaustion on his face.

Sue him, he rather got a good laugh at that kid's expense than revisits the choices he made. Anything was better than having to reveal the turmoil going inside of him. Anything was better than the natural instinct he had of searching for her, and the sudden absence he felt. It was like a black hole in his heart. He had little time before his execution. He'd rather not suffer too much in the meantime. The absence of her was diffusing like liquid poison in his veins erasing all his certainties. Don't beat up a broken man, he needed the diversion. He smirked.

"Ah yes? You wanted to ask something, kid? I'm listening."

Honestly, Gin couldn't care less. And if the migraine that twisted his temples was a single indication, his little tryst earlier left him a couple of internal scars too. But like he said, sometimes all you needed was a diversion.

Tōshirō hesitated, watching Gin with hollow eyes.

"Do you know anything about the PRIMEROS?"

The Primeros. Aizen's pets. Gin nodded.

"You knew? Why am I not surprised?"

Nonchalantly, he shrugged. They berated him for knowing. They chewed him out for not knowing. They should all make up their fucking mind because well he was going to die in ten days, he was on a schedule.

"Ichimaru?"

"His failed experiments? It was no big secret he's been doing this with the Hōgyoku for years. The Primeros were kept in a wing of Las Noches. I only met one. Rigor Mortis. There was empty space between his two ears, couldn't hold much of a conversation, but could make a mess of a person and do some miraculous shit! I hated that thing. If you see it, my advice is to Run as far an as fast as you can. Aizen used to get rid of them just after conception since they were only supposed to be prototypes. But he was known to make exceptions. Aizen was creating monsters. Kaname raised Menos. I was just the cool guy who was sometimes asked to serve tea! Nobody ever asked me how I went about doing that. And if you want to know everything ..."

Tōshirō cut him immediately.

"Do you know anyone named Enzo Weavorpine?"

Gin remained neutral.

"No. Is he your new flirt? Is he gonna call me daddy soon?"

Tōshirō sighed and turned on his heels immediately. He went quickly for the door.

"It's just a joke. I don't even get a recovery card and some balloons? Boy, I'm heartbroken!"

"For the record, I am already ten times the man you will ever be, Ichimaru! Ten times!"

Tōshirō slammed the door behind him.

Gin swallowed hard; his jaw clenched painfully. He did not know why lying came so much more easily to him than the truth. He closed his eyes and thought back to the time he was still at Las Noches.

 _There was little to do for entertainment in Hueco Mundo. It was a known fact. Just because Gin was spying on Cuatro and Orihime while eating a plate of Persimmons, his feet on a desk, didn't mean he didn't know it was wrong. But who could cast him the first stone? Because honestly who wanted to help destroy the world when you could watch a quiet episode of reality TV in High Definition? Right now, he was having the biggest hard-on for Cuatro and his tortured poet's face. And what to say about that redhaired's curvaceous body? Ouch! That must have hurt! Especially for her! Sweetie, you're not supposed to slap the zookeeper! He is just doing his job! Ulquiorra was reeling from the blow, hi_ _s eyes studying that girl's face as if she just accomplished an exploit. Well, he wasn't too far off. Gin admired her spunk leaning comfortably in his chair, his snack on his lap. That was so intense. The slap he had not seen it coming. Who knew 'what's her name?' had that in her? Girl, you're a keeper! Wasn't Ran-chan staying with her in the living world? He picked up Cuatro's detailed report and flicked the pages absentmindedly. His girl had always been a good judge of character. Following that principle, Orihime could only be born with a bit of courage like Ran-chan. Oh! Gin shifted in his chair. Cuatro went into action. His face just a few inches from Orihime's, he whispered something that seemed to frighten the girl. Gosh, the only thing missing in all those videos was the sound! Give me that action! You know you want to! He would pay a decent sum to see them together. So far, he was happy to see them all flushed and dancing around each other. Preliminaries were always a good thing. He could see Cuatro's fascination pushed to its maximum. Even if he knew that the Espada was itching for bloodshed right now. From that thought to Gin's getting to watch some porn, there was only one step. He wasn't losing hope. Orihime was hot. It was no tiny bony Rukia Kuchiki for sure. Cuatro caressed Orihime's chest with the tip of his index finger. Look! We're already making it to first base. Gin nodded with an even wider smile. He believed the world should only be filled with girls with nice tits. They were not as good as Ran-chan, of course. But well, he was not at that senile age yet that he got picky about details. He frowned when he felt a presence opening the door behind him._

_An Arrancar was standing in the doorway of the surveillance room. Gin immediately spun his office chair around._

" _Having_ fun?"

_Gin tilted his head to the side and stared at the intruder. Except that he had never seen this Arrancar before and he was rather a physiognomist, mind you. Even his scent was unfamiliar. The level of his reiatsu was low but he knew he was in front of a decent opponent. Not a fraccion._

" _Do you not recognize me? I told Aizen-Sama that your self-absorbed ass would not recognize me anyway!_ "

_The arch in his eyebrows increased even more. Well, true, Gin was self-absorbed most days! He got a larger than life personality and straight life goals! So self-absorbed wasn't too far off. Gin did not care about the rest of the world; it was no secret. So, it's not like he took that as an insult. But that guy did not even smell like fear. That only intrigued him more. Hollows were terribly fearful creatures. Espada were a little less susceptible to fear but ordinary arrancars were amongst the most paranoid creatures in the universe. That was strange. Gin smirked._

" _You must have gone astray, Arrancar. Don't make me ask an espada to take you back to the basement where you belong!"_

_A yellow grin competed boldly with his. That guy was creepy in a bold way._

"Asking an Espada? W _ouldn't you do me the honor? I'm sad."_

_Oh! A fan? A secret admirer? Gin had heard more dubious proposals in his life, so he was not that shocked. Although Gin likes tits, he had a variety of interests. He wasn't born picky. However, that motherfucker was ugly as hell and absolutely not worth the hassle._

_"You are very funny."_

_No. He was not funny at all. The arrancar stepped closer. Without moving a muscle, Gin assumed in his mind a defensive stance. He released Shinso's shikai. You never knew with these hollows!_

" _You told me… about life and death… and all that came in between. And I swear I couldn't believe a kid would say such profound things."_

_A tear streamed down his uninvited guest' face but he was still smirking. What a clown!_

_"That's quite creepy!"_

_"You asked if I believe in resurrection…"_

_Gin's eyes snapped open. The silver-haired shinigami shifted in his seat, his hands disappearing in the sleeves of his coat._

_"I thought for a minute that it rang a bell somehow. Sorry! It didn't! I don't know you, princess. I wish I knew you... No, I don't." He yawned._

_"I'm disappointed, to say the least. Things have not changed so much between us?_ "

_"Things could change in her heartbeat, man. That's called life. Things could change definitely, that's called death. Believe me, it's never that deep."_

_The Arrancar burst into a peal of maniacal laughter._

_"That sense of humor though! You're the same! Just the same! Ah! Cheers to you, for he doesn't know who you are, Gin?!"_

_Gin opened his eyes. This time, he was not smiling. That's when Kaname Tōsen made his big entrance like a big damn hero._

_"Primeros n ° 3, join your cell immediately and never leave it if you want to stay alive._ "

_The Arrancar made a slight sneer and leaned forward full length, nailing Gin into his chair, their faces incredibly close._

" _You grew up, Gin! Hum, I'm happy ... Here, I'm hoping we will get to spend some quality time together in the future. Sleep tight._ "

_Kaname began to draw his zanpakutō. But just as suddenly, the Arrancar stood on the threshold. Sonido. He was a proficient user._

"Boo _!_ "

_Although he was neither surprised nor frightened, Kaname parted away from him. Gin sneered._

"What _was that?_ "

"The _result of a botched experience._ "

"A _Primeros. I understood that much. The deformed mug gave it all away." Gin mumbled, scratching the back of his head. "_ _But I thought Aizen got rid of all the trash. Who was he?"_

"Never got rid of you, did he?" Tōsen muttered, swiping the desk with his fingers searching for dust.

"You're right. Our charismatic leader is lazy at best. But seriously who was that?"

" _Someone you killed."_

_Duh, that part was obvious! That's when Gin's smirk became cold and menacing. Tōsen had a way to piss him off. He hated when people played dumb with him, at least not when he wasn't in the mood._

_"Now, you're saying it like you don't ever want me to find out, Kaname!"_

_"Well, I just know it was someone you killed. It's all I know. It's all the information you need. You have your duty."_

_"Let me tell you something, a snake doesn't remember feeding himself. Each time, he is presented with food, he opens wide and swallows. It's called instinct."_

_"Aren't you wise these days?"_

_"You're a boring cunt on most days. You don't see me complain."_

_He could see Kaname was aching to reply. He looked at Gin behind his futuristic glasses with a haughty air. Gin put down his candies and took a nonchalant step towards the door._

_"Stop! Aizen-Sama did not want you to know. That gives you an idea of the amount of trust he bestows on you, Gin."_

_"Oh! That's okay I don't need to live in the shadow of his butthole like you. There's not nearly enough room!"_

_Gin paused, sitting back in his chair, joining his palms together, quite satisfied with the reaction he was getting from his partner. Tōsen could be jealous and petty like a scorned woman. He threw a khaki in the air with his mouth open and swallowed. He examined the screen again. Orihime was in tears as usual. He probably missed the good part._

_"If Aizen-Taicho told me nothing, it's probably because he knows that I don't give two fucks about ghosts from the past. Ten tickets on Ulquiorra. He does it before facing Ichigo just to brag about it. You see him like that, but I know he is a freak._

"You _are such a crude and vulgar creature._ "

_Tōsen turned on his heels._

"Your mother too _!_ We kinda like it! Ask your daddy? "

_The giant doors slammed again violently, Tōsen's reiatsu gradually fading away._

_Gin opened his eyes and changed the angle of the main camera. He followed the yellow-toothed Arrancar down the hall until he reached the "monster gallery", the forbidden sector. This was the name given to Aizen's old laboratory in the basement. He lost sight of the creature since this floor was not monitored. Gin went back into the database easily. As a good control freak, Kaname had listed all Arrancars living in Las Noches. He swallowed a bite of kaki and used the network's own facial recognition program. It did not give anything. He glanced at the throne room. Aizen asked Menoli to show him the progress of Ichigo. He did not seem tired of seeing that boy fight. Boring. Those people were boring. Gin watched Tōsen entered the throne room and approached Aizen, probably telling him about the latest events. It seemed like a sufficient distraction. Gin hacked the network , using Aizen's credentials. He reiterated his request to the facial recognition program. An information sheet was displayed._

**_Experience n°3_ **

**_Enzo Weavorpine._ **

**_Class: Primeros_ **

**_Personal notes: His predominant personality is that of a former shinigami named Mao Enzoraki, Third seat in the fifth division. Has strong ties with Experience # 1 and # 4. Outstanding ability to control Time. He has an unnamed hatred for Gin and that could be useful._ **

_Just as abruptly, Gin left the network and resumed watching his favorite couple. Useful? Really, Aizen! Mao Enzoraki! So, it was that guy! The guy he killed to make his point. Like he ever cared about that guy! Like you could ever care about a guy you killed to make a point! Like he ever cared about any of them! They took something of his first! They hurt him first! They were monsters! Maybe he was one too but he was hunting his brethren! And no, he did not feel one bit of remorse. He definitely did not give a fuck. Except he probably did, just a little, because the desk in concrete under him was now completely fractured and the plate he was holding was falling into dust. That guy was the guy... His dirty paws were on his property. And that guy dared to show his face... Well done Aizen! Well done! Gin silently leaned in his chair. Now wasn't the time to get sidetracked. He was hunting way bigger fishes in the sea. Aizen was definitely next on that list. No stroll down memory lane... As much as he wanted to, that guy was going to keep enjoying breathing. No, he was going to kill Aizen next. And the fact that Aizen knew Gin was coming for him, made Gin somewhat delirious with excitement. Well, the game became much more interesting suddenly. Who was hunting who now?_

Gin sighed deeply. He didn't like this story much. He didn't want to share it with any of them. The reason why he killed the third seat of the fifth division. The real reason. The real reason which was currently lying down in a hospital bed because of him. Gin thought back to the Enkeikuroryū. Only one thing matters. He would have liked to prolong the moment with her. He realized that he had a regret at last. It had taken him almost a hundred days to eventually form a single regret in the Senzaikyū. But it was a tenacious one. It never left him these days. He wanted her to be the last thing he sees on this earth. He almost managed to get what he wanted, back when he laid on that pile of rubbles. But people kept putting themselves in his way! Ran-chan, herself, had ruined everything by bringing him back to life. He had planned everything down to his eventual loss. Yes, you heard right. He had a plan B. When he saw that boy, standing so proudly in the West Gate having survived the sword of his good friend, Kuchiki Byakuya, he knew that boy was something special. But he didn't have it in him. Not yet. When they fought in fake Karakura, and he had to pull it out of him, the reality of vengeance, the reality of what people were going to ask of him. The real meaning behind the word "sacrifice"... He was too young. He did not understand. The sacrifices it took to protect the smile one likes. Yes, he knew he hurt her so much all those years. He couldn't stop. He honestly couldn't. He wished he could have stopped. He wished he could just go back to that moment where he told her he wouldn't go anywhere without her. Because that was the truth. Because that was the way he felt at a time when he only tells the truth. But each time he closed his eyes, he was back to that moment when he felt her falter and fall… When he retrieved her collapsed body in the forest… When he realized they took something from her, taking it in a tiny cheap bottle to Aizen. Part of her soul. A precious soul. That belonged to him. They took part of him in that bottle. He needed it back so badly. She wouldn't remember he made that promise to her. She wouldn't remember how they met. She wouldn't remember he swore he would never leave her a hundred times already. She wouldn't remember anything important. She was no longer resting peacefully at night. She had the worst nightmares after that. She wouldn't smile so easily. She would cry when she thought she was alone. Don't you think they needed to die for that! And do you think they ever get to pay their debts in full? No, there was no way they were even! He would still hunt Aizen if he could… If he could…If only he could...

The thoughts jostled in his head and lulled him back to sleep. Several hours later, Gin woke up, his nose bleeding. He squinted, clumsily wiping the blood with a cloth. Night had fallen. The full moon illuminated the room. His headache had not diminished far from it. It had only even given way to a throbbing pain in his chest. He took a few steps in the room, astonished by the silence that reigned around him. The Seireitei seemed strangely quiet. He approached the window where a butterfly from hell was struggling to die on the ledge. He observed the agony of the insect with detachment before picking it up in one hand. It shuddered between his fingers, its wings fluttering wildly. Recognizing instinctively the captain of the third division, the butterfly jiggled in his hand, gathering its strength to deliver its message one last time. The message came to him jerkily.

 _"Here_ , the vice-captain Shuhei Hisagi of the…. division, …. division was attacked. I repeat… fourth division… Matsumoto... kidnapped… At least four dead… and a dozen wounded… Captain Abarai Renji… immediate medical assistance… We also request for immediate reinforcements. Traitor…"Geren Koshinko"… He is accompanied by at least an Arrancar… very dangerous… must be reported to the central command… Very dangerous… Do not try to apprehend... These are very dangerous…individuals..."

**Devil May Cry 3 - Devils Never Cry (HD) (Last bridge)**

Gin inhaled sharply and closed his fist. He crushed the butterfly entirely and slowly watch the dust fall to the ground. The ground shook under his feet. Dangerous individuals? Was that it? A stream of blood flowed uninterrupted from his left nostril. There was better ways to wake up an old man. _Were they all too stupid to do their job? Hitsugaya!_

He suddenly grabbed his face with a grunt, shaking with spasms. He opened one black eye…. while the other was slowly turning dark. Gin leaned forward, trying to control his tremors. His neck was tense. He shook his head. He blinked twice. Rangiku was screaming for help. No. Not Rangiku. The scream blasted his ears like a screech on a blackboard. It was almost maddening. Blood was wetting the immaculate ground beneath his feet.

**Bless me with the  
Leaf off of the tree  
On it I see  
The freedom reign**

Not Rangiku. Haineko. Haineko was screaming for help while she held onto Rangiku in her arms. The vision was blurry and noisy. Even if he knew how impossible that sounded, he believed what he saw. He knew exactly what he had to do.

**We are falling  
The light is calling  
Tears inside me  
Calm me down**

The noise wouldn't stop in his ears and he couldn't move. Gin leaned heavily against the wall, feeling its pulsation under his palm. Then he crawled on his knees. Rangiku. He fought for control to no avail. Rangiku. The particles of reishi dividing in a sub-atomic level and floating in the air while sekisekki fell to dust on the ground. He groaned… Just this once… He needed to…

Jerking back violently, stumbling backward, his mouth open, the beast inhaled everything around him. Walls collapsed… Giant holes forming on the strongest ramparts…The tower shuddered under its own weight. The moon full, with a crescent shadow, was expanding in the sky like a heartbeat. Rangiku. His whole body shook as he massively sucks up all the reishi in the air, compacting it, and turning it into pure energy. His skin boiled…The reishi shining under his skin.

**Midnight calling  
Mist of resolving  
Crown me, with the  
Pure green leaf**

Fuck, fighting it was too hard… It was overcoming every part of him. He was delirious in his need. He could no longer fight it, not in small part because of Enkeikuroryū itself. It was still asking for a price to pay. Everything he was currently consuming was burned by the forbidden spell… It was maddening. The Transient Beast needed a better source of energy than what was available. Gin slowed down his breathing, accepting what was to come.

The ten guards of the Onmitsukidō curiously observed the tremor on the bridge that connected the towers together. Then they all gasped as they watched part of the tower collapsed on itself, sucked up from inside the cell of Gin Ichimaru. They gathered together like crabs trapped in a bucket. They waited with bated breath in front of the shaking door. They all looked at their leader. He felt so out of breath, he took off his mask slowly. What is that? One of them leaned forward to look for the source. The ground undulated under their feet. On the other side of the bridge, another guard was waving for them. Then it all stopped. As suddenly as it started it stopped. Everything grew quiet once more, chillingly quiet.

The door opened slowly with a metallic wince. The leader ordered his men to stay in formation. He marched slowly toward the cell. There was a sizeable hole in the left corner wall, a pile of rubble on the ground, and a dizzying unnatural view over the Seireitei and the Sokyouku hill. Gin was curiously sitting Indian style in the center of the room, seemingly meditating.

They encircled the prisoner in combat formation according to their emergency procedure. Within a minute, they were ready, spears directed at Gin. Gin didn't even flinch.

"Stay in formation." He yelled advancing slowly and cautiously.

Not even a strand of his hair was moved by the breeze, he remained there.

"Hostile 18, you will follow us." He said, his voice honestly shaking.

No motion. He couldn't even see Gin's eyes behind his heavy bang.

"Stand up! Now!" He shouted.

"We probably should call the captain."

"Ichimaru, I will use force if you do not comply immediately. I'm even licensed to kill you as a last resort."

Gin's nose started to bleed again.

"He is using Kido… Help me…" He leaned forward and grabbed Gin's shoulder.

Big Mistake. With one hand, he grabbed the chef's hand and broke all his fingers. He found the use of his legs with ease before the rest of the men had time to draw their zanpakutō, he toppled the body of the chief officer on his back to ward off the first attack. The Katana did not completely cross the officer's chest, but the officer screamed in pain anyway. With both hands in the eagle's position, kneeling on one knee, he shifted the man in front of him. Once again, he used him as a shield. With an arm wrench, he twirled the leader around his head before letting go of his hand. He hit the wall at high speed, gliding down to his knees at a weird angle. As he leaned on one hand, he whirled around, kicking and punching his way through the guard's line. One he grabbed and opened his chest, his fist impaling him through and through. He slipped behind a soldier like a snake and with pressure on the neck, his new victim lost consciousness. Behind him, two soldiers tried to immobilize him. He gave a destructive punch in the jugular of one, stuck his foot in the jaw of the other, in an obscene sound of broken bones.

Seeing five soldiers already on the ground, the other three rushed to the door who slammed shut on them. Barefoot, Gin picked up a spear and twirled it in front of him.

"Open! Open the door! Hey! Open!"

His eyes concealed behind his silver air, a smirk on his lips, Gin randomly stabbed the head of one. The rest crawled in a corner fearfully.

"Where can I find Koshinko Geren?" He asked.

"We don't know ... This is the Seireitei… Please, don't do this. You cannot escape…"

He slammed the spear on that man's face and finished his work pinning him his mouth open in the wall.

"Wrong answer."

The last guard slid along the wall, terrified.

"He is a traitor now. He is no longer the director ... Please…. He ... He was declared an enemy of the Seireitei this morning and ... I swear ... They're searching for him…"

Gin silently stood up. The surviving guard jerked back in fear as he heard whistles and pops, as the bodies of his teammates burst open like balloons, their ribcages torn apart, muscles shredded like meat, thick black smoke coming out of their chest. Shiny shimmery pink, yellow, red, green and blue particles rose in the air...

"What… did… you do?"

Gin said nothing. He inhaled it all, in a tornado of reiatsu, his face momentarily showing all the veins on his pallid skin. The guard could barely withstand such force.

"You all had one job. Just one."

The guard crawled even further away, breathless. The creature looked at him with eyes as black as the night.

"Keeping. The. Monster. At. Bay."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm… the one who' s sorry. I need someone to take me to the armory. I need to pick up an old friend. What's your name?"

Gin crouched to his level once more.

"Sir… I don't… Isamu…Omouto …My name is Isamu… I swear… I wish…I knew… I don't…know… I can't… do this… I can't... It will be the end if I do this."

"Isamu-san, you are going to die tonight for sure."

Gin smirked, his eyes black and red, strange white fumes coming out of his mouth any time he spoke. The guard took off his mask and started to cry. It was not a shinigami he had in front of him. It was not even a hollow…

"I give you a choice here. Either, you die in a relatively painless manner and you get a chance to see your wife, your children, your family in another life… A chance at going into the cycle…"

"I don't understand."

The voice that spoke to him was suddenly ancient and baritone deep.

"I know they don't teach that at the academy… Took me a while myself… Several lifetimes, I think… They don't want you to understand your fate… It would be too sad."

The creature looked away whimsically.

"I… I can't… I can't… please… Don't make me… I can't…"

"Or… like your friends, sadly the road stops here, and I will use your soul as an appetizer. Your choice! Rest assured, there's no wrong answer this time because I will find that vault with your help or not."

Gin smiled but there was nothing human left in his eyes. The guard shook his head, shamefully.

"The vault is this way."

"I am glad we came into an understanding." He said childishly, rising slowly, extending his hand to help Isamu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] The Seishinkokyū test: Spirit breath Test / The breath test is an ancestral test experienced at the entrance at the academy by aspiring shinigami and also just after their appointment for senior officers of the thirteen divisions. It is practiced during an initiation ceremony in noble families. The test run is kept secret. It is simply said that it uses the three Kidō magics: Bakudō, Hadō & Hojō. Only the result is disclosed and recorded in the Central 46 archives. The test will help pinpoint the amount of spiritual power one individual has and with that, it is possible to quantify its potential growth.
> 
> Next chapter = Empty shell


	35. Natural Born Killers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just discovered it is seemingly possible to put images in your story. I'm a bit bored home and I thought it was a good way showing the artists who I drew inspiration from. Thanks Deviantart a bunch. Note that I cannot name every artist behind the images used because the work is sometimes drifting on google unsigned. I don't claim any rights on the pictures.

* * *

**Enzo Weavorpine**

Primeros #2

He graciously coped to people calling him eccentric. But by no means, he will stand being referred to as a psychopath, he was not crazy, he was just a passionate and dedicated doll collector. He was a creative soul. An artist. Simply misunderstood.

* * *

Enzo dropped Barruk flat on the Espada table. He had hoped that by the time they made it back home, his "brother" would have been back to being himself. Primeros had generally the best regenerative skills of all arrancars, Espada included. It didn't even look that bad. Right, he was missing an arm, his neck was covered with lizard bites and his Hierro had also turned a weird purplish violet color. But really he expected even more external damage when he felt his reiatsu decline dramatically on the battlefield.

"Wake up! Barruk!" Moon was screaming over and over next to him. Enzo shook him with a frown.

Nothing seemed to work.

Whatever that bitch did to his beloved brother, his regenerative abilities seemed dormant at that moment, not quite kicking in. Enzo paced nervously. It was quite unreconcilable a thought that the little bitch he saw getting almost drowned earlier managed to do that much damage. Who was she?

He heard a dull moan behind him and spun around, leaning above his kin again.

"Barruk, it's me. Enzo! Open your eyes!"

But Barruk was only squinting hard, his face deformed by pain as if he was experiencing the worst nightmare.

"Moon! Wake him up!"

Moon leaned over Barruk and took over trying to rouse the Primeros with the same results.

"I don't think he can. I think he is in pain."

"No Kidding! What's wrong with him?!" Enzo barked.

"I'm just… I don't know."

"Why does he not regenerate? It's been long enough."

Moon shrugged, in shock.

"I don't know."

"Why does he not wake up?" Enzo roared again impatiently.

Moon shook her head.

"I'm going to say something but I'm scared it's going to get me killed at the moment. "

"What?"

"I don't fucking know, Enzo!"

Enzo grabbed a chair and sent it flying against a wall.

"The fuck is wrong with all of you! You're all wasting my time! I never waste time! Time is my friend."

"You're what's wrong! I've never seen you or him like this. I don't know what to tell you."

"Moon is right. It's the game. You're either strong or you end up dead. Vultur. Amarik. I call: Next. Because we have work to do. "

Archer said with a shrug. Enzo grabbed him by the throat before he could finish his sentence, forcing Archer to his knees.

"What did you just say?"

Moon tried to intervene but Enzo held Jikanakuma in front of her.

"Let him go Enzo! Please, you're losing it. We're in this together."

Enzo let go with a sigh, Archer stumbled away, trying to catch his bearings, positively shaken.

"Right? Right? I'm not mad at you Archer, my friend? I mean we're in this together."

But before he even finished his own sentence, Enzo grabbed Moon's head and pushed it hard against the white table, crushing her hard on the marble-like surface. Her mask cracked under the violent impact. He burst into a sadistic laugh while he maintained the pressure.

"You people think we are in this together? Don't abuse my patience! You, girly, you think I need you to show how useless you really are. You're all the same… Meaningless. Your existence is meaningless. You're just a concentrated, shaken but not stirred bucket of reishi. You're not even a proper hollow. You would be lucky if anyone would fight over your dead carcass. Look at your broken face, not even Aizen could claim you. Nobody likes damaged goods. Still, I took you in… Look how you repay me…"

He put even more pressured on her face, the table started to fracture.

"I'm sorry… Please Enzo… You're hurting me… I just said that because we…Primeros remembered what it felt like…dying…unlike any other hollows…"

"You have an idea what he did to us? You think we were ever in this together? There's no us. At least you're not part of the "Us"… That you died getting fucked by a bunch of good-for-nothing ronins still doesn't make you part of us. Look at Rigor. Can't even speak. And Barruk… Look what he did to us… He picked us up like flies. Fast as lightning…"

Moon was silently crying now, the pain on her scars almost unbearable.

"Please… Stop! I will…"

"Quiet now! Shush! We were hunting hollows that night… I was a shinigami then. I led the squad in the forest behind our division beyond the west gate. We didn't see him coming. Then he took his time… his sweet time playing with them… first… They went first… Then he came for me. It's the hunt. He liked the hunt too. I couldn't run. Just like what that bitch did to my brother! That kid… That motherfucking brat wouldn't die. He was invincible…with fucking baby blue eyes… Would you believe that? Such an insane reiatsu! You think we were in this together? Have you seen those blue eyes? People! Raise your hand if you ever watch your reflection in those baby blue eyes?"

He dramatically turned to Archer.

"Nope. Nobody? Should have seen it coming. And you know what he did… Barruk? Barruk tried to help me even though he was toast. He was in this with me. He tried to protect me. He tried to save me. He is my blood."

"Enzo…"

"It took hours...to die... All I wanted was to die."

"Enzo…"

His eyes seemed lost in thought. His voice was suddenly foreign to them. It was like it was a different narrator.

"I was the last one… with her too… I don't know how he knew that though… That I was the last… When I think about it… We shouldn't have done it… She was just a kid. She was… just… so very… Pretty. So, that monster made me wait my turn in return, knowing he will make it much worse for me..."

He stopped.

"We are Primeros, we remember our first death. That's what makes us above basic hollows. And you think these Shinigamis are good? You think I am a monster. The biggest secret of all. We are all Natural Born Killers. So, no, I have not lost it. I am on a mission. I want Aizen to get on that throne. I want us to rule this world where it's survival of the fittest. I want justice for me and my brothers… I will find Kuchiki's bitch one way or another and I'm gonna make her pay! We're going back! Now! I don't quite need you for that! Sorry, Moon! There's definitely no 'us'. "

His claws were out. The smirk had vanished from his face. He was about to strike her neck hard and severed her head.

"Enzo! I can… try healing him with the human's powers! Let me try!"

He froze.

"He is not dead. Let me try!"

Enzo let go slowly. Moon almost crawled on her knees, unable to use her limbs. She pleaded with him again, raising her hand, asking him for time. He stepped back with the same blank look.

"What are you waiting for? Move!"

He turned to Archer who stood there the whole time witnessing the untold amount of violence.

"Women. They need to know when to shut up, right Enzo!"

Enzo punched him hard into the nearest concrete wall in response. Archer was bloody when he finally rose again. Enzo smirked again while wiping his bloody hands on Moon's left sleeve, helping her to stand. The other Primeros was completely startled at that. She jumped as fast as she could out of his reach, staggering out of his way.

"I will…I'm fine... Thank...Thank you."

"Of course. So what's the plan? I'm listening. You're my gang. We are a team and I will follow your hindsight. I don't know what came over me… really…" He smirked again, amiably.

Archer was trying to close his broken jaw.

"Archer be nice. Try to find everything you can on Captain-chan… Caught a glimpse of her haori. She is the fifth captain. What did Aizen had on her? "

Archer simply nodded and was about to leave.

"Oh, and where is Grimmjow?"

Archer scratched his head nervously, massaging his jaw. True, it had already healed, his ego, however, was still a work in progress.

"Hum ... He's with ... He is taking care of ... The thing he's walking with ... Well, it's hurt."

"You're telling me that while my brother! While Barruk is suffering, Grimmjow Jeaggerjack is babysitting! That's what you're telling me!"

Archer opened his eyes wide in horror. Enzo let out a sneer and burst out laughing.

"I'm just kidding I don't care! You can go…"

Archer sighed with relief and exchanged a look with Moon wishing her good luck.

"Go!" Enzo roared, his voice echoing between the stone columns of the meeting room.

He did not consider himself at all Enzo's lap dog. He didn't know when Enzo became their leader exactly. But it was a battle, he couldn't win he knew.

Enzo grabbed Moon by her hair and dragged her to the table faster.

"Come on, Sweetie? Show me what you got?"

He threw Moon on the floor. A vicious kick sends her crashing into a stone seat. Moon crawled up under the table to run. But Enzo dragged her back. She laid her hands on Barruk and tried to create a shield of energy with Orihime's powers. The spiritual pressure pushed the chairs back.

"I reject."

Nothing was happening. Moon concentrated again with a grimace.

"I reject."

"It does not work."

"It's because you're stressing me. Let me work in peace."

He made a step toward her but this time the shield activated. Enzo clenched his fist. After a long pause, he was relieved to see Barruk's wounds regenerate slowly.

"Why is it so slow? Didn't she heal Grimmjow faster than that in the video?

"I don't know. I'm using another being's power. She is human I am not. Can't you cut me some slacks? It's working."

"So Slow. He should at least wake up."

"He is dreaming. It's like a ... I feel it. It's like a barrier. As if he is a prisoner of a nightmare."

On cue, a wave of purple-green reiatsu pushed against Moon's hands. An imaginary wind was lifting

the Primeros pink hair, putting even more emphasis on her half-mummified face, as she put

"I cannot explain it. It's as if I must reject this illusion to be able to heal it."

"Keep going. Don't stop. He must not die. I still need him. "

"It can take hours and ... We must proceed according to the plan. Enzo, be reasonable."

"I said don't stop! No matter how long it will take you! Wake him up!" Enzo snapped back.

"But we only have a small window of time to open the portal for Aizen-Sama! It's in the book… "

"Then get busy!" Enzo growled.

Enzo spun nervously, his long giant hands on his head. He was suddenly facing Grimmjow who was nonchalantly leaning against one of the stone seats in the amphitheater, not missing a minute of the show. How long did he stand there? He glanced at Espada Sexta. He did not feel that guy at all! Before Enzo could say anything, the double doors opened slowly.

Grimmjow frowned. Geren was carrying a blond woman in his arm while Menoly was supporting Lolly who was struggling to walk. The giant behind them followed them obediently into the room. Wait a minute! That woman was...

Enzo blinked twice, marveling at the sight. They did it! He rushed to unburden Geren, lifting the vice-captain of the tenth division, Matsumoto Rangiku's body in his arms. He gently rocked it. She was there! His revenge! She was there! Sweet revenge served cold for dessert on a silver platter! It was enough to cheer any man up. He let go of a sadistic laugh.

"Look Barruk! She arrived! Your gift, brother! It's time to open your eyes!"

Neither Barruk nor Rangiku had any reaction. Enzo rocked her more violently.

"Open your eyes, Princess!"

A lock of fair hair fell over her eyes. Rangiku Matsumoto did not budge. He slapped her so hard that she flew into the air like a feather in the wind. Using Sonido, he caught the blonde by her hair and punched her again. She didn't even wince as she crashed at Grimmjoww's feet.

"Rigor, what did you do? I said that I wanted her alive. I mean… Alive!"

"Rigor did not do anything. That's how she was found in her room. She is unresponsive since the battle of Karakura."

Geren muttered. Enzo faced him slowly.

"We found her like that, I swear. Now... It's all ruined! They think that I am a traitor! And ... Renji Abarai ... is dead! He..."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I tried to tell you, but you were so adamant you wanted her and no other... What's so special about her? I never understood the appeal even when she was charming her way to a seated position."

"What? She is…"

"In the coma. I don't give a fuck! That girl saved Ichimaru and they are calling me a traitor! What is wrong with these people? I worked my ass off for a hundred years… Yet, they are calling me a traitor! Can you believe that?"

Not listening to a word from Geren's mouth past the mention of Gin Ichimaru, Enzo was staring at Rangiku's bleeding form on the floor. She was currently sitting her legs parted in her white yukata like the most perfect Japanese doll. Well, a creepy doll for sure! But so beautiful!

"You brought me an empty shell. I don't even feel distinctly her reiatsu. Are you kidding me? Do you know what the plan is? That fucking bastard better show up for a well-preserved corpse I'm telling you because heads are gonna start rolling! Chop! Chop! I'm sick of it! Nobody does his job! Nobody is passionate and dedicated to giving his best. I'm left alone working out insignificant details."

"What were we supposed to do? I almost killed a vice-captain. Didn't you hear me when I told you Abarai is dead? A captain is dead."

"Make that two. I think Enzo killed Kuchiki. And what do you think we were doing here, Shinigami? Playing ponies!" Moon said.

"Well-said, Moon. Abarai. I don't even know who that is."

"He is…"

"I don't care…"

"But…"

"I care about two things… Aizen… and my vengeance… Do you all understand? You have your priorities laid out for you once more! Will be the last time, I will be talking about this."

A hand on Rangiku's neck, he dragged her like a rag doll.

Barruk opened his eyes softly.

"Barruk is regaining consciousness, Enzo."

Enzo immediately let go of Rangiku to lean over Barruk who was finally rising. He quietly waited for Barruk to talk first.

"What a nightmare! Enzo?!"

"I'm here brother! It's over."

He was still purple as if he ingested some kind of poison.

"It was a nightmare. A true nightmare. She ... She's a monster ... Inside... Just like him… She is one of them. Inside, they forced me to cut and eat my own arm ... to save you again. It didn't work you always got killed. It was a dream, wasn't it?"

Enzo frowned and turned to Moon. She simply shrugged. She hadn't managed to restore his arm past a stump and nervously wondered if that was about to get her killed for good. Enzo was no longer smirking. Recreating this stump and waking him had already demanded a lot of energy and she was drained. She stepped back, almost resigned to her fate, as Enzo stepped forward.

However, the leader of the Primeros did something unexpected and pulled Barruk in his arms softly. At the realization that it was not a dream, that he had lost his arm, Barruk burst into tears like a newborn baby. His moans echoed against the walls of the Great Hall.

"It's going to be fine, brother. Look who we have here… It's Matsumoto Rangiku. You remember her, right?" He said pointing at Rangiku on the floor.

"She is on the list."

"Right, she is. I'm gonna start with her… while you go with Moon to complete your healing. I trust her to do just that."

"I wanna play with her too."

"I promise you will. I will keep you the best part."

"I was scared Enzo…"

"I know but everything will be fine. Don't you worry your little head, brother! They will all pay! We will crush them and take our revenge! Aizen will be king and this world won't exist anymore. At least not as it is."

Moon stared at the two Primeros with a mix of disgust and fear. For the first time, Grimmjow winced before an even more twisted mind than his. Those guys were positively sick. Moon swallowed hard.

"Let's start the preparations! Everyone has his job! Departure in a day."

He left the room. Moon glanced back before she helped Barruk to his feet. She knew her fate was tied to her ability to bring back Barruk's arm. She was not leaving anything to chance. Grimmjow climbed down the stairs and approached the blonde left behind with a puzzled look. He remembered she dispatched one of his fraccions in Karakura. He knew he could have been mad about it. But their fight had been fair game unlike his fight with Yoruichi… or Ichigo… He sniffed the air. Something was not quite right with her. He didn't know what exactly. He softly touched the silver necklace encased in her cleavage. It was radiating with… heat and...

"Oops, I was going to forget."

Enzo held the door open dramatically.

"Hands off. Pantera. You don't want us to have a disagreement here, JeaggerJack. Don't tell me she is a friend."

"Of course not. All yours. Have fun." Grimmjow said with disdain.

Enzo grabbed Rangiku by her hair and dragged her behind him like a disarticulated doll. Grimmjow watched them leave the room with a grimace of disgust. That sick Motherfucker! What living hell was this? He needed to get back to his room.

* * *

**Gin Ichimaru**

Former Commander of Aizen's Armies

Former captain of the third division

Former detainee of the Senzaikyū tower

Lover of Rangiku Matsumoto

He had spent a number of years claiming that survival was more important to him than Rangiku Matsumoto's kisses. That was the biggest lie.

* * *

Contrary to what his casual smirk and nonchalant gait might suggest, Gin was clearly in the worst of dispositions tonight. For further proofs, the ground was littered with the bodies of Onmitsukidō members. He felt tremors again and held onto his zanpakutō with all his strength until his features shifted again back to normal, except he was abnormally pale. His ears were constantly bleeding. He closed his eyes, humming the air, searching for something familiar. He wasn't going to lie, freedom felt good after all these weeks spent in that cell, doing nothing but reminiscing. Yet, he hadn't predicted how hard it would be to keep himself under control. Behind him, a guard was trying to get up. Shinsō materialized in front of him like a ghost he was the only one to see.

**"Good job, Master. Where should we go now?"**

A tear of blood streamed down his nose. **Enkeikuroryū.** He was still paying for that spell. It was still burning through his body. He was constantly drawing on his limits and he was so damn hungry all the time. Closing his eyes once more he tried to remain calm. The risk of losing control was right there as he approached dangerously ... No, let's just say he passed it already: the point of no return. He did not care either way. His path to the grave was already clearly drawn. Only he was gonna take with him every person that ever touch a hair on his girl's head. Gin tilted his head to one side and scanned the Seireitei. She was still here.

 **"The Seireitei has sunk into chaos but I advise my master to be cautious. What will we do if we meet a captain?"** Shinsō whispered.

Gin smiled. He'd eat anything right now. Especially a captain. Shinsō hissed in delight. It sounded like a plan. A plan he liked.

**"Ssssooooukkkka ... The master has planned everything ..."**

By the time the guard was able to gather enough strength to crawl, Shinso pierced a hole from his skull to his stomach, ripping his spinal cord on its way. Then he vanished into thin air.

The ex-captain of the third division entered later the disemboweled quarters of the fourth division. With one hand, he wiped his bloody nostrils and crossed the corridors, leaving his bloody print on a collapsed wall.

"Ichimaru ... Ichimaru-Taicho?"

Kira turned, the shock written on his face.

Oh, if it was not Vice-Captain Izuru! What a small world! Gin faced the blond, smirking. Taking advantage of the latter's paralysis, he flash-stepped toward him and struck a blow directly on his carotid artery. The blow could have been fatal if Kira had not countered with Wabisuke. The vice-captain made a flip back to get away. Gin was tempted to just applaud his acrobatic prowess.

"Hey! You've become quite strong, Kira!"

"How? How did you escape?"

Kira regretted his question immediately. He remembered how annoyed Gin would get when asked nonpertinent questions. Who cared how he got out of his cell, he was here and Kira had to drag him back there. That was his duty. He was suddenly reminded of all the things he thought he knew on that man, all the things he realized may have been lies all along. Did Gin even like dry Persimmons for real? He wondered.

**EPIC DARK BATTLE MUSIC | by Rok Nardin ( A mix of the tracks "Destroyer of the Worlds" and "Dark Ages")**

"Forget it! It does not matter how ... It is my duty to see that justice is done."

The quavering voice and the shifty glance betrayed him though. As usual, Gin could detect all the weaknesses in his old second-in-command's behavior. Kira did not mean a word of what he had just said. Gin was pleased to think of all the ways he could use that information to his advantage and get his subordinate to let go, the most pleasant of all would have been to just screw him right there… or on Unohana's desk just to add to the kink. Yup, he could do that surely. Yet…

"I expected no less from lieutenant Izuru. Ah really! What Charisma! What a manly stand! You should call your zanpakutō immediately because I will not go easy on you!"

"You used to say that a lot."

"I didn't mind you getting off on those words, Kira. You know how it is."

"Was it a game?"

"What will make you happier? Or let's get real, harder?"

Gin smirked. Kira blushed at Gin's innuendos.

"Rangiku-san is not here!" He yelled back.

Gin tilted his head with a grimace.

"Who told you that I came for her? Is the whole universe is assuming now everything I do is for that woman?"

Kira stood bravely in front of him. Gin had the most cunning smirk on his face.

"This is not the case?" Kira asked in return with a frown.

Annoying. Gin thought. His little Kira suddenly looked all smug and grown in front of him. Gin didn't want to feel like a proud daddy, but he did. Yet, Daddy was annoyed, he had Business to attend. Kira tilted his head to the side with a hint of impertinence.

"Don't answer that! Again, it does not matter! My mistake! That means you are only here for me! Wabisuke, raise your head!"

With a rise in spiritual pressure, Wabisuke regained its form. Gin stood even taller, quite impressed.

"Oh, I see! Really, you have changed! It's a pleasure to finally meet the man! You really stand like one now Kira! Unfortunately, I have no time to celebrate with you. Ah! I have a serious migraine and I feel like shit like my insides are turning to mush."

"Enkeikuroryu?"

"Ain't it a bitch? The things we do for love."

"You better take this seriously, Captain."

"I am quite sad. We have little time in front of us, Kira-kun, to remember the good old days, so I wanted to tell you before it's too late that it was fun to have you as a lieutenant."

Kira remained frozen.

"You mean I was weak and gullible, and you had a lot of fun playing with me!"

"No, I mean you were a fucking good lieutenant!" Gin said with a shrug.

Kira swallowed hard, his eyes tearing against his will. He took a deep breath.

"Why did you not ask? Why?"

Gin shrugged.

"Ask you to follow me? Why would I do such a thing? You would be stupid enough to accept. Isn't that right? No, I wanted you to keep partying with Rangiku on Saturday night. I was searching for ways, so you guys keep doing your thing. You know…"

"You should have said something… Anything. She felt like me too. She felt abandoned."

"I know."

Gin smiled candidly and he looked every bit like his boyish self. He stared at his lieutenant again. The lights flashing in the building were playing with the blue of his eyes.

"Captain..."

"Honestly, I like to think that I did you a favor. Do you still write your poems?"

Kira nodded softly, head down.

"It's cool! I have always loved your poetry! You got real talent! Ne, Kira-Kun? Are you still afraid of me? I'm not just asking because ... It's getting tense here... But I've always been a little scared of you! No kidding, standing up in front of you gives me chills today!"

Kira had barely raised his head at the remark that Gin had gone behind him and stroked his throat with Shinsō. Kira was quick enough to place Wabisuke's head between his throat and Shinsō and tried to hit the Wakisashi for the first time.

"Ikorose Shinsō." Gin whispered in his ears.

Kira again avoided the tip of the elongating katana. He rolled on the ground nimbly and raised a cloud of dust in his fall. Gin covered his eyes reflexively, but Kira appeared in front of him Wabisuke ready to slice. So quick! What a brilliant student! Gin dodged easily, leaning against the already cracked wall. He aimed at the unprotected flank of his former vice-captain but again, one knee on the ground, in a defensive position, Kira waited for him at the turn. He was about to hit Shinsō with his quirky sword, but with one clever manipulation of his wrist, Gin dodged again. The silver-haired man made a somersault backward, avoiding Wabisuke's blade that grazed the ground in search of his Achilles tendon. His ankles! Kira was aiming at his ankles. Kira was always such a fine strategist. But Gin effortlessly jumped away again. Kira doubled his speed to hit where Gin was going to land. In return, the ex-captain of the third division landed on one hand, then on Shinsō, than one hand again to move further away. Kira was almost caught staring. Gin had always had a spectacular control of his body in the field. He was quite nimble and able to use the surroundings to his advantage.

"My sword is shivering, Kira. Awesome! Please keep going!" He said with a snicker.

To say that Kira had progressed was still below the truth, he was going beyond what Gin could have imagined. His progress was simply prodigious. When he will reach Bankai, Kira will become an enemy not to be taken lightly. Really! Shinsō lay down at once, but Kira ducked his captain's attack and continued to move forward. Gin gave a slight sneer. This was fun.

If he could define their relationship in one word? Comfortable.

The first time he saw Kira, the only words that came to his mind were inevitably doomed to failure. Kira was at the time full of uncertainty. Still fresh out of the academy, his noble values clasped with his envious and depressive personality. He saw it at the way Kira closed himself off like a shell, unable to squash the shame he felt having been enrolled after the academy in the fourth division when his friends were in more offensive divisions. He had this thing, a ridiculously silly crush for the little bitch who drooled on Aizen, Hinamori Momo. Without even understanding that it was already dead for them, Aizen had decided so on a whim, Kira spent his days blackening pages and pages with dark and tortured poems. There was passion under layers of coldness. He was loyal as a dog. He was dull too but attracted to thrills, which made for less boring rainy afternoons. There was anger when they were doubts and uncertainties. He was so easily shaken that Gin knew he would never be a threat to him. He was of the race of blind men. And while Aizen was trying to persuade him to choose Rangiku as a lieutenant to replace the retired Iba-san, Gin had taken his mentor off guard by choosing Kira. People were never really what they seemed to be. Kira was comfortable an alibi. He could sacrifice him in a heartbeat. Kira was like a good shield. Comfy. Convenient. Useful.

"Oops, an opening?" He warned playfully.

With a gesture of the wrist, he brought back Shinsō, contracting the blade. Shinsō sliced into the vice-captain's shoulder. Kira did not utter a single complaint. On the contrary, he grabbed the blade as he went by and trapped it in his bloody hand with a kido binding spell.

Gin opened his eyes and parted a lock of hair away from his eye. What was that? He had not seen this one coming. Kira moved so fast that he didn't have time to react, Wabisuke knocked Shinsō more than a dozen times. With a groan, Gin mentally ordered Shinsō to retract. The sudden weight added to his sword propelled him several meters away in slow motion. Shinsō scratched the soil pathetically.

"I knew I stood no chance against Shinsō. It is one of the fastest zanpakutō in the Gotei. I had to pretend so the captain lowered his guard."

Fuck! Gin opened his eyes again. With a movement of his fist, he tried to retract his sword again. He winced. He was reminded of all the time they spent training together in the yard of the third division and that made him laugh.

"Ah! Right? I created a monster! Ha! Ha! Ha! It's all good... That will teach me to underestimate you!"

He gave a slight sneer. Kira disappeared into a shunpo and materialized behind him.

"I'm sorry Taicho that it ends like this."

Wabisuke's blade framed Gin's face like a guillotine.

"That's not quite how envisioned spending our first night together. That's for sure!"

"I am sorry."

"It's quite cold."

"I believe in my duty."

"I meant the blade. Like I said… If it's any consolation, I also wish we had more time."

Gin closed his eyes briefly. Light bulbs blinked above them until they exploded one by one. Water was flowing from an open pipe.

"Bankai!"

The concentration of spiritual pressure blew Kira away to the point where he almost lost his balance. Arm outstretched, he tried to maintain his offensive advantage. Gin's reiatsu alone prevented Wabisuke from slicing through the flesh. It was like an impenetrable invisible wall had been erected between the captain and his lieutenant. Kira opened his eyes. What the fuck was that reiatsu? Gin winked again. It was suffocating. Kira grabbed his throat in a panic.

"Kamishininoyari."

Kira had just enough time to let go of Wabisuke's guard that Shinsō split the air in front of him, cutting everything in his path, piercing a hole in the remaining roof. If he had dodge but a second later, he would have been pushing daisies now.

"Needless to say, I have not been quite honest the time I told you about my bankai."

Shinsō retracted less than a second later under Kira's frightened eyes. That reiatsu! He… Gin finally looked at Kira with one blue eye… and a red one.

"Oh, about that too… True, I wasn't as forthcoming as I would have wanted to. Even with friends. Let me fix my mistake. My bankai is not as big and quick as I described it. It's just what I was telling guys like you to get laid. No, the strength of my bankai is that the blade of my zanpakutō can dissolve at will.

Gin stood up and dusted off his clothes. Kira remained paralyzed on the floor, his chest rising and falling hastily.

"Ah! Kira-kun, I feel a lot better now that I've told the truth. It's nice the truth for a change, isn' it? Is that how you feel all the time?"

Kira was staring at him in utter shock. It wasn't the captain he knew he had in front of him. This was...

"You're not..."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Yet, Kira couldn't help but fuse the two images he had of Gin together and believe that it was the same man that saved him countless time on the field, that he was the same guy that shows him how to garden, the guy that could read a thousand pages book in one hour, The guy that corrected his poetry and that time he sent a stupid letter to Hinamori, just to be rejected, the guy that propose to prank the eleventh division to cheer him up after. It was the same guy. Gin kicked Wabisuke in his direction. When the blond did not move to grab his weapon, Gin sighed, a bit disappointed.

"Don't tell me you're going to beg me not to kill you."

Kira shifted from a dazed state to a more resolute expression. He took hold of his katana and straightened up with dignity.

"No, I still believe that a warrior who begs for his life is a disgrace. Yet, I realize… I am sad it ends like that."

"Very well. Very well. I like this better."

Gin smirked.

"Taicho ..."

"You can call me Gin, Kira-kun. Gin is perfectly fine."

Kira looked up. Gin was no longer smirking. He stared at Kira with a gravity that rivaled his. Finally, with a certain resignation, Kira confessed.

"I was delighted to have served under your command, Taicho."

Gin opened his eyes again, one blue like a cloudless sky, the other red like an inferno. A tear of blood streamed down his cheek, close to his lips. He licked his lips before nodding. Kira had always been the 'Easy choice'. 'The Comfortable choice'. He realized. Fuck.

The moon was the only light in the sky. Not even crickets could be heard. Outside, the night was strangely quiet with the Seireitei standing still when the last walls of the south wing of the quarters of the fourth division collapsed at once, pulverized under the impact of a point-blank ButoRenjin. Nothing was left standing but Gin on a mountain of rubbles and various debris. Gin's face was covered with blood, dust, and grime. He took a deep breath. Then with a sigh, he dug out Kira's broken and battered body from the ruins. When he lifted his eyes, he realized what he came for was right in front of him. Lying on its metallic stand on a broken dresser standing wobbly, Haineko was waiting for him. Gin licked his lips again.

"Hello, Ran-chan. You called darling?" He said as he picked up the sword on its stand with a bloody hand.

Rangiku's katana vibrated in his hand. He nodded and hung it on his belt before disappearing again into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = Dragon VS Snake


	36. Dragon vs Snake

* * *

**Gin Ichimaru**

Former captain of the third division of Gotei 13

Former Commander of Aizen's Arrancar Armies

Lover of Rangiku Matsumoto

Stray dog without collars

For Ran-chan, the world could turn to ashes that he would look on passively, occasionally throw a couple of matches in the fire, probably make it worse just staring at the blaze, stepped in the inferno willingly at some point, without ever giving a second thought. Yes, his determination was the type that could start a war and build nations. What did that say about him?

* * *

The sky was clear. The weather was perfect for spring. Fortunately, he had encountered no other disturbances on the road. It only took him an hour and a half to reach Inuzuri. He was quite careful not to leak reiatsu as he flash-stepped. He only used a moderate form of flash-steps instead of a more efficient displacement technique. He didn't want to be caught under the radar of the Gotei 13. Spies from the royal guard were hiding everywhere in Soul Society. After Kira, he knew he could no longer afford a distraction.

Furthermore, Rukongai was a vast place with its 320 districts but hiding there could get tricky. Busan, where he knew most of Kyouraku's family reside, was upper-middle-class for example with the seventh division patrolling often. Tetsuzaemon Iba's girlfriend lived there so Iba always found a pretext to send a patrol there. Ukitake grew up in Sakahone. He made a point of leaving one or two men there as a habit. Hokutan was a land under both the protection of the Kuchiki clan, the Shihouin clan and the Gotei 13. It was bustling with life, with the most technologically advanced shops and malls, and its very exclusive residential communities. It was quite prosperous a neighborhood with real estate worth millions of Kan spread over acres and acres of land at the feet of Mt. Koifushi. Every noble family had vacation homes there and it was quite fashionable for well-off families to own a property there. You could imagine it was well-guarded a neighborhood. The "Midget Captain" was from Jinuri. Jinuri and Junrinan were more modest places and he could have headed there instead of going back to the dump he left. But Gin was never one of these rich high-class people that couldn't live without their luxuries. He was a simple guy with very modest needs.

The Miroku Mountains and its pine forest overlooked the town and could be seen even in the dark. Gin decided it was better to go back to where it began for a change. He knew the land very well as he spent most of his life there, watching its population grew exponentially from a couple of farmers to an outlaw city that never sleeps. He quickly crossed town, jumping from roof to roof, sparing only a brief look at the various scenes of debauchery on his way. A man was being robbed in an alley. Two drunks were fighting over a loaf of bread. A young girl, dressed like a courtesan, greeted her last client for the night on the doorstep. When people didn't want to be found or questioned by the Gotei, they moved here or in Kusajishi where patrols were rare. He knew a certain captain who wouldn't be caught dead around here. Inuzuri was one of the poorest neighborhoods among the Rukon districts along with Kusajishi. Actually, Inuzuri's right border was spilling inside East Kusajishi. The population had grown so much over the centuries that they almost fused together to be one people. The place looked vastly forsaken with rusty huts and rows after rows of chaotically-build tin roof houses.

Growing up there, it seemed that no god or soul king had ever looked that way. They lived a thousand life around here. He remembered selling fruits and vegetables on the market with Ran in the summer. He helped the carpenter there for a couple of decades too. They made an honest living selling whatever was profitable at the time. Everything was good if it helped put food over their table. Then things changed as all the thugs migrated to Inuzuri's borders and life got tougher. He flew over the city quickly and entered the forest.

Gin stopped in front of a monument of stone covered with ivy and moss. There were three tiny baskets of offerings at its feet. He silently approached the statue. Gin tore the bed of ivy down to reveal the features of a cheeky boy with eyes made of apatite gemstones. "Pray thee Fallen God" was engraved in the stone in old kanji. Had it not be that well-hidden under the greenery, it may have been vandalized or stolen sooner. But as it was, only the villagers that believed in the old Lore knew where it was. Gin sniffed the food suspiciously before wolfing it down. The bread was a bit stale but the kakis and rice cakes were delicious. God bless whoever created khakis? He stepped back, looking at it one last time before walking away.

When he saw the outlines of the shelter he once shared with Rangiku, he practically froze. The house stood on a slight rise in a clear meadow in the forest. It was not a remarkable house by any means — like he said before — it was more of a shack than anything, squarish, made of woods and stolen bricks, covered in moss. At least it was when he left.

First, Gin was mostly surprised to find a house still standing at this exact spot. Then he felt somewhat furious that someone had dared defile what was only theirs. It was their home. It had been their home. Sure, a century had passed since he left and their tiny shack had turned into an elegant two-bedrooms cottage. A carpet of camellia ran along the path in front of the dusty porch. The rusty roof resisted succumbing to the weight of the years. The walls were solidified by brick walls. The wood used for the carpentry was definitely nobler than in his memories. There were two sets of shoji doors in the front, each with their ornamented outer doors.

Gin staggered in the grass. One ... Then two drops of blood watered the ground. His vision became hazy again.

This looked nicer. Yet, he only remembered fondly the shack. They would always sleep close in the winter to keep from the frozen ground. One summer, he managed to build a floor. Still, he pretended to be cold in the winter. A secret for a secret, he never really felt cold or warm. Yes, he often said he hated being cold. He faked it for years just to remain close to her. He practically fabricated his hatred for winter for Ran-chan and she had the audacity to say he never did anything for her. Look, it was the old watering can he sculpted himself in wood. Oh and the tiny rocking chair he made so Ran could rest on the porch while he worked in the field. It was still there! Those looked the same as the day he left.

Gin looked at his surroundings with mistrust. Did some poor soul move in their absence? It didn't look inhabited though. He hesitated a split second. On one hand, he needed to rest for a couple of hours at least. He looked around again. It would be just enough time for the Seireitei to catch up on his trail and start the search party for him and for him to find enough strength to open a portal. He was drained again after his meeting with Kira. Gin sighed. The garden was well-kept with a couple of everything, aromatic plants on the side, vegetable on the other side. It was a lot as he remembered it too. He could remember like it was yesterday Ran sitting on that giant boulder over there to watch him try to unroot a giant pumpkin. 

**Shiro Sagisu- Recollection III**

He made it to the porch and carefully pushed the doors open. It was unlocked.

"You should always take off your shoes when you come home, Gin." He could hear her nagging voice like it was yesterday.

Gin swallowed hard. The foyer was small but there was a chimney, a seemingly functional traditional kitchen and a kotatsu at its center. He sat on the steps to take off his shoes when he noticed next to him, an envelope with yellowish corners with his name written in hiragana on it. There was a letter inside.

"Okaerinasai Koibito,

I leave this here for when you decide to come home, Gin.

If you ever decide…

Blankets and sheets are in the drawers in the bedroom. You will find that I didn't make much changes to your garden. Everything is just like you left it. I do my best to keep it neat. Some of our friends in town graciously helped me with that. It's miraculous that the vegetables and trees grow each year. It's like they are trying to survive your loss just like me.

Oh, I almost forgot, please take off your shoes. Don't make me clean up your nasty footprints. Over the years, I try to make our safe haven cozy in the silly hope you will want to stay. But it's really up to you.

Since it's the only place I was ever allowed to say it unconditionally, let me say it again.

I love you.

Ran."

Gin crumpled the letter in his hand as his throat felt suddenly constricted. _I love you. Ran._ There was a certain rawness about what he was experiencing right now in the dark. His eyes became glazed with a glossy layer of tears he was stubbornly refusing to shed. His chest was burning. The air sizzled to infinity. The gravity of what he had done to her all those years just sucker-punched him when his guard was down. Faced with the consequence of his actions, Gin remained still as a statue, his silver bangs hiding his face, as a last resort survival measure while the magnitude of his loss swept over him. _I love you. Ran._ It only happened once or twice a decade that he indeed regretted something he did so he might as well get it over with. 

He lowered his head holding onto the two zanpakutō while letting the letter fall to the floor. A crystalline tear mixed with blood traveled down his cheek until the air crystallized around him. He opened his mouth and steam came out. He simply shook his head with a melancholic smile in recognition. Peace was so underrated these days. He smirked again.

" You really thought you could escape that easily, Ichimaru. I may have arrived too late while you were fighting Kira ..."

Gin simply stood up, discreetly tied both zanpakutōs to his belt. He needed to find some clothes. He went to the kitchen sink. 'If there's running water, I'm going to stay here forever, Ran-chan.' The sink was fully functional and the faucet leaked clear crystalline water. He smirked at that. He silently cleaned up all the blood and grime on his face, on his arms, and on his hands. He stared in deep contemplation at the blood dissolving in the stream, leaving his skin so ethereally white. Not minding the presence of the captain of the tenth division, he went in the bedroom to change out of his unsightly bland yukata. Not really hoping he will find anything he could use in Ran-chan's closet and standing speechless when he discovered the woman bought a whole hanger of tailored clothes for him, Gin smirked. In a perfect world, he would have taken a shower but he suspected time was of the essence here. His girl was the best and he made her wait enough.

To answer Toshiro, nope, he never thought it would be that simple. He came out of the bedroom wearing a navy blue almost black shihakusho. He found Toshiro standing in the middle of the foyer, reading Rangiku's letter.

They finally locked gaze. The boy was the first to speak though.

"For a long time, I never knew where she went. She always took a couple of weeks off in the fall and in the spring and she refused to tell me where she went."

Toshiro started, handing him back his letter. When Gin showed no signs of wanting that letter back, he dropped it on the side table in the lobby.

"But a couple of days after your defection, one night she was really drunk, Rangiku brought me here. She was very upset because she had made all these plans, made all these arrangements in her mind and you left. And that was all she would retain was that you left without saying goodbye. I admit. At the time, I didn't understand. This was the only time I have seen her openly cry. But I thought at the time, it's just the shock of losing a friendship, it will pass. She will cheer up over saké. It will pass. She is in shock like most of us. It will pass. I didn't know what I was thinking really. It just felt natural for me not to pry into her affairs too much."

"Yet, you're here." Gin said, unable to hide the edge in his voice.

"You left me no choice."

Gin shook his head softly and Toshiro stepped in. Gin sighed, raging inside.

"Your shoes."

Toshiro looked at his tabi with a frown.

"You're currently bleeding on the wood floor."

Gin looked down in surprise. True. There were three small puddles of blood where he stood. Meanwhile, Toshiro took off his shoes and stepped into the room again. Gin Ichimaru honestly tried to clean it all up but he realized his nose was bleeding again. He was making her bloody mess in Rangiku Matsumoto's paradise. Yet, he was used to it. So, he simply sighed. It was almost funny how pathetic this was.

"Welcome to our humble home. It was the sanctuary of two street kids who found each other in the middle of a desert. I'd serve you some tea because I bet that woman bought one hell of a tea set. She always likes shopping. But I know Rangiku is going to kill me for ruining her floor."

He swallowed hard, suddenly lost in thought.

"You see, I made her clean the floor once… in the third squad barracks. Well, technically Iba made her do it. But I knew she always hated that chore and well… I may have pranked her a little. I just realized now that what I must have felt back then was probably some bout of jealousy at the time. There was this guy from… He is a friend of Kira. He had a ridiculous crush on her. You will tell me, every guy has a crush on her. But I don't know he rubbed me the wrong way the way he looked at her, just like you do, kid."

"I rub you the wrong way? Me? You're unbelievable, Ichimaru." Toshiro snickered.

Gin felt the ground slip beneath his feet. He had to hold on. He concentrated on the little captain. His right eye played tricks on him he saw blurred angles. If he had to analyze Toshiro's behavior, he could discern anger and sadness.He must be able to use it. Think Gin! Think fast! 

" I'm sick of you. I can't stand you! And I'm suddenly the bad guy who's rubbing you the wrong way?"

Toshiro tried to lit a fire in the chimney. But he was cooling and wetting everything he touched presently and it wasn't working. Gin took over, gathering some dry woods, putting the teapot on the grill. They were standing but a few feet from each other. 

" It's not a very nice thing to say, little genius. I thought we were becoming fast friends. I was gonna grow a ponytail in honor of our friendship."

"Well, that honeymoon in your head is over now, Freak." 

Gin smirked wider. 

"Oh! Someone is biting back. Let me ask you something. I'm not always curious. But I am curious. Why did you let me leave the Seireitei?"

Tōshirō shook his head in denial for a minute before he turned to Gin with a shrug. No use denying now. 

"Because like Kira, I don't want to be interrupted."

"Oh right, you witness our little reunion…"

Gin crossed his arms, nodding.

"I see…"

" How could you? Kira admired you."

"Then should I have disappointed him?"

"That's your answer. You always got an answer for everything. It's always the fault of others."

"Well, I did tell him I was in a hurry." Gin said with a smirk, leaning on the counter behind him.

"It's nice not to be embarrassed by a conscience."

"You should try it, it's good for the skin."

"Yup, look at you. One cannot even see that almost a millennium had passed by on your face, old man."

Gin blinked, shifting position. For a split second, he opened his eyes wide.

"Who told you that?"

"Is it true?"

Gin said nothing, simply shifting position.

"Did she knew? Did Rangiku knew?"

Gin tilted his head to the side, staring at an invisible spot on his right.

"What do you think you know?"

"Who are you?"

Gin shook his head.

"I don't have time to listen to this."

"The truth has always been too much to bear for you, isn't it? You think you are above others. You think you're above the laws of this world. Nothing matters to you. You're still looking at me like you are justified, Ichimaru. But you did this… You created this whole thing you call a vengeance, uncaring whose life you were destroying on your path. I can't forgive you! All the harm you did to her! How dare you! All the harm you will do when you disappear again from her life! I can't forgive you, Kisama!"

"Hum?"

Gin said nothing.

"Nothing to say for once…"

"I'm standing in my kitchen pissing blood while my girl was taken from me. Is there a point to your ranting, Hitsugaya?"

"She was not taken from you. You're the one who did this? To her?! You brought this on her! Just like you brought Kira's blood with you and stained everything she ever stood for!"

Gin gritted his teeth. His eyes widened with disdain, his pupils shining with unrestrained anger in the dim-lit room. Icy blue slowly turning black like night. What was it that this kid wanted to accomplish here? Was he supposed to be asking him for forgiveness? Was it not presumptuous of Hitsugaya to think that he, Gin Ichimaru, gave a fuck about shinigami justice? Had he not already proven time after time again that he was born without a master, without a king and without a god?

"You still left a trail of corpses in your wake! Don't you ever get tired of all the death and misery you spread on your path? Tell me! How can one live for at least seven hundred years with that?!

Gin squinted harder.

"Always that same song, huh. The answer is always the same! And why the fuck not ?!"

Gin felt his headache doubled and the cold grip he had on himself slipping again. The air began to sizzle around them. He was trying not to get mad. Why Ran-chan? Why have you brought this guy in our home?

He carefully wiped his lips. As soon as it started to whistle, he grabbed the teapot with one hand and dropped it on the table, angrily. Shinsō, who rarely showed the tip of his muzzle during a duel, waved for a few seconds behind him. Toshiro didn't move. 

"They were on my way!" He spat. "I had a job to do…A job I was ready to die for. She didn't let me… She was always in my way. But her, I could forgive. She is the only one I could ever forgive. That girl, since the day I met her. She changed my life and gave me purpose. Fallen from the sky she was... Just for me. We had so many things in common."

"Is that it?"

"You had one job, Toshiro. Keep my girl safe. You didn't and now you barge into my home to ask me why I kill people? Are you fucking kidding me?! Isn't it obvious by now?!" He roared.

Hitsugaya was in his way too. This arrogant kid! He was born just a thousand years too early if he thought he could stop him. Furthermore, stop him in the name of Rangiku. No shit. The audacity. His hand stroke the guard of the wakizashi in his sleeve. Tōshirō suddenly threw a skin flask in his direction. Gin caught it flying, his face momentarily troubled by an expression of surprise. He watched the object in his hand with suspicion.

" It's from Unohana. Well, it was more like Isane's prescription since Unohana was away. She said to mix it with some hot water. It will help your symptoms. This should give you a reprieve of a few hours. I am not like you, Ichimaru. Unscrupulous and evil. I will not kill a man already down. I want you at your best for this. I will wait for you outside."

So young, he was already giving lectures. Gin gave a sneer, carrying the gourd to his lips. He emptied the gourd in a few seconds.

" So, it's even worse! You're giving me a lecture and healing me. Can I barf now?"

"You're ready?"

Gin shrugged.

" Unbelievable. You're very serious this time."

Tōshirō did not deny. Yes, he was. Gin snapped his tongue casually.

"I don't have time to play with you, kid!"

"Yes, you don't have time. Your time is running out, Ichimaru. The gallows awaits you. And if I cannot drag you there, it's here that you'll die."

His blue eyes showed for the first time in his life, the extent of his anger.

" Tell me why you're making me waste my time when you know I don't have time for that."

"Right? Because Rangiku is locked in her zanpakutō and every minute away from her body brings her closer to certain death."

Gin remained silent and the smirk vanished.

"You thought I did not know? You thought Unohana did not warn me! She only talked about it to Yamamoto and me for safety. There is no way to go back. The chances of her waking up ... The chances of her opening her eyes ... They are close to none. The minute Rangiku used her Bankai to save you, it was over!

Tears piled up in Tōshirō's eyes with him being unable to stop himself.

" I have felt it. I was unconscious, lying under a pile of rubble. When she used her Bankai, I felt it. It was the most powerful thing I have ever felt and I also knew that it was way too early for her to use her bankai. Wounded as she was ... She let herself be sealed in her zanpakutō. All this for you!"

Gin shook his head angrily.

"So you're going to sacrifice her?"

The boy did not answer.

" You ... You're bluffing."

Tōshirō unsheathed his sword, raising a cloud of dust around him.

" I have a responsibility! I have a responsibility because I am a captain. And even Rangiku would not have wanted it to be otherwise!"

"You don't really get it. She will die if I don't find her! There is a chance ... A very small chance ... I know I can bring her back!"

"But if you find her, the enemy will also put their hands on you. It's the perfect trap! They will use your insane amount of reiatsu to channel the power of Orihime, Aizen will be released and we will all be condemned. The calculation is simple. I can save millions of lives or I can save one life. That's the kind of thing you cannot understand, Ichimaru. That's the kind of math you don't understand! That's why you were unable to understand that she loved you all these years. That all she ever wanted was to be with you. In any case, you are unequipped to make her happy. You cannot put your feelings aside for hers ... You cannot protect anything."

Gin swallowed hard. Eyes wide open, he only realized one thing.

" If I kill you, I could go on my merry way and find her."

"Really? That's all you see, right?"

He shrugged with a predatory smile. Yes, that was all he saw. He was that kind of monster. Tōshirō Hitsugaya had described it so well.

" We are both facing a dilemma."

" She loves us both."

Even if he pretended to be clueless, Gin knew what Toshiro meant to Rangiku. That was the real reason why, despite Aizen's orders, he stalled their confrontation as much as he could. He did not want her to have to choose between her two favorite prodigies.

"Whatever the outcome of this fight, Rangiku, will cry, right? Wherever she is! It will make her sad." Tōshirō added sternly. "But I can save lives by stopping you. It's all that matters."

Gin bowed his head down. A burst of spiritual pressure swept away the decorative cherry blossoms. Thousands of petals floated in the atmosphere. Haineko vibrated against him. He drove the katana into the ground hard, his hand holding onto it as he formed the most solid resolution in his heart, his jaw clenched.

" You are right. I have underestimated you, little genius. We finally have something in common."

* * *

**Hitsugaya Tōshirō**

Captain of the Tenth Division of Gotei 13

Childhood Friend of Momo Hinamori.

From the child, he kept only the size. His heart was that of a man.

* * *

"I have a responsibility! I have a responsibility because I am a captain. And even Rangiku would not have wanted it to be otherwise."

What was he trying to do? Was he trying to explain himself? To justify his ... betrayal? Was this truly a betrayal? Would it help to lighten the burden on his heart. Nothing was less certain. Tōshirō had seen Kira fall and he didn't try to help. It was not his fight. Kira needed to go all the way. It was already rather late when he arrived and his goal was quite different. They now knew what the enemy planned to do. Manatsu Dengeki had even managed to pinpoint the location of two potential gates. The Gotei had not been idle since. Yamamoto was gathering his troops in order to gain a strategic advantage. The next 48 hours were going to be decisive.

He saw Gin flee the crime scene after his confrontation with Kira and let him go ahead voluntarily. He had a feeling he knew where he would go. There was only one place he could go to find refuge in the state he was in and that was the place he shared with Rangiku on Mount Miroku. Could he have stopped him sooner? Sure. Probably. But he couldn't stop Gin without using Bankai and his Bankai was the large-scale type. He could not have stopped him without doing serious damage to the district or injured innocent people. The most important ... Yes, he confessed to having another ulterior motive. He did not want to be interrupted. He did not want another captain to intervene. Since he had decided that Kira had the right to challenge his former captain to regain whatever he believed he lost in that fire, he had decided that he had the right to do the same. Gin was going to die here.

"You don't really get it. She will die if I don't find her! There is a chance ... A very small chance ... I know I can bring her back!"

Yes.

There was a possibility. Tōshirō swallowed hard. He hung up on this hope for more than 90 days. 100 days later, he was resolutely ready to let go because the fate of the world was at stake. It was not just about Matsumoto's happiness. It was about thousands of innocent souls.

Gin was not good for her. He should have done more for her when she was at his side. He himself should have done more for her. Toshiro should have told her what she meant to him. He should have told her that her friends loved her more than that bastard had ever claim to love her. He should have told her that ... He should have been a real captain, a real support for his lieutenant. Tōshirō had been so entangled in his own problems that he did not see how much she was suffering. On the contrary, it was Rangiku who gave him support. Now she was gone. It was too late. He had no hope. All that was left with was this blind rage inside… because he knew none of this would have happened without Gin. He raised his head again.

"But if you find her, the enemy will also put their hands on you. The perfect trap! They will use your insane amount of reiatsu to channel the power of Orihime, Aizen will be released and we will all be condemned. The calculation is simple. I can save millions of lives or I can save one life. That's the kind of thing you cannot understand, Ichimaru. That's the kind of math you don't understand! That's why you were unable to understand that she loved you all these years. That all she ever wanted was to be with you. In any case, you are unequipped to make her happy. You cannot put your feelings aside from hers ... You cannot protect anything."

He saw Gin blinked twice. He saw his blue eyes shift colors ever so slightly. Had he managed to reach him at last? But soon, that snake was back to his usual smirk.

" If I kill you, I could go on my merry way and find her."

Of course. This monster could so easily rationalize his actions. In all these years, Tōshirō had never understood why he was constantly compared to the captain of the third division, the prodigy who had completed the academy in one year. Today, it made even less sense.

"Really? That's all you see?

He shrugged with a predatory smile. Yes, that was all he saw.

" We are both facing a dilemma."

" She loves us both." Gin admitted.

There was no other way to end this. All the roads brought them here.

**Bleach Ost '(Shiro Sagisu)- Fade To Black B13a**

"Whatever the outcome of this fight, Rangiku, will cry, right? Wherever she is! It will make her sad." Tōshirō added. "But I can save lives by stopping you. It's all that matters."

Yes, he could admit it. Rangiku loved them both. Rangiku and her maternal arms squeezing him very hard, trapping him against her voluptuous chest came back to him. Tears clouded his view. It was not very manly to cry. But he could shed a couple of tears for his loyal lieutenant. Gin drove the katana into the ground with sudden rage.

"You are right. I underestimated you. We finally have something in common."

"We have one thing in common. Took me years to admit it. In a few seconds, it won't matter, Ichimaru."

The clouds piled up in the sky, covering the sun, which was rising behind the mountain. It was a new day and the rules were about to change. The sky darkened just as rapidly. Tōshirō closed his eyes. The tears on his face crystallized like snowflakes. Gin sighed tiredly and let the first sunlight caress his pallid features. A black screen covered the sun little by little.

"Sōten ni Zase, Hyourinmaru!"

Gin spiraled down and silently released Shinsō who went off in search of his target. In the forest, a group of ravens flew away as metal roared against metal in an explosion of colorful reiatsu.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = Fighting Spirit


	37. Fighting Spirit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I acknowledge that I do not own Bleach. I love having fun with its characters but that's all. 
> 
> A/N: I know you all probably wanted to go back to that fight. Some people may be team Toshiro! Some people may be Team Gin! Who will win that fight? You will soon have your answer, fear not. But let's build the suspense a little, and check on a couple of our favorites first! Thanks to all the readers that left kudos or bookmarked this story. It means a lot.

* * *

**Renji Abarai**

Captain of the ninth division

Friend of Kuchiki Rukia, Hisagi Shuhei, Kira Izuru, Ichigo Kurosaki, Ishida Uryu, Sado Yasutora

More than his body, his soul had been crushed under the assault of a Behemoth. His pride couldn't come back from that.

* * *

> **The baboon king by[ Ignyte-creative](https://www.deviantart.com/ignyte-creative)**

Renji woke up with the warm sensation of the sun on his dry skin, painfully stretched to the extreme. With an unusual stubble, his face seemed to have aged decades in one night. Renji immediately felt his cheeks, his face, and his neck. It was all itching under the bandages even though his skin had regained some of its elasticity overnight. The perfusion in his left arm was connected to a machine in the shape of an oxygen bottle. Kisuke Urahara's chibi caricature branded the handle of the bottle. Renji felt so groggy still. None of this made sense.

To begin with, how the hell did he make it out alive? He had been so sure that was the end.

Slumped on a chair at the back of the room, Shuhei awoke in his turn. Hisagi rubbed his face. The vice-captain was rid of the bandage that had covered the wound on his forehead. But his chest was still surrounded by white bandages. He leaned over Renji's bedside.

"Taicho? Are you OK?"

Renji stared at him, not looking like himself at all. Who was Shuhei calling Taicho? He searched the room. When he saw his haori hung on a screen, Rukia's scarf folded on a table, Renji finally remembered that in fact, he was the captain in question.

"How long have I been out ?"

Shuhei glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Almost a day. You're in Karakura. As soon as you were stable enough after your transfusion, Isane and I transferred you here."

"A Transfusion?"

"Of Liquid Gold. A lot of it. Funny, you're worth so much right now especially in the land of the living. It's almost..." Shuhei said excitedly.

"I don't… understand. I don't get it…"

"It's alright. I'm probably talking too fast. I'm so relieved! It's a long story I can't wait to tell you! Getting that gold was not easy but it was the only way to preserve your spiritual envelope's integrity long enough for us to find a way to fix you. You see? The Omaeda Patriarch is a harsh negotiator and a fox and he didn't want to part with his precious gold. But I won and we made a deal. Isane's plan worked and you could make it here with Urahara and Unohana's taking over. Urahara fixed you in extremis with his new invention a reishi portable particle accelerator. Something he made using Orihime's intel or something like that. I don't have all of it figured out but this is basically boiling and accelerating your reishi circulation to stimulate your regeneration."

"You got gold from Omaeda? I have gold inside me? Isane? Urahara? I don't understand a thing you're saying. I still don't know how I'm alive."

Renji straightened up with a grimace and tried to get rid of the IV. He swallowed hard, feeling nauseous. For an entire minute, he was unable to open his mouth and utter a single word.

"No, don't make any sudden moves. Urahara also said that nausea and vomiting can be side effects. The best is to lie down."

Pushing him back with a steady hand under the covers, Shuhei forced Renji to lie down. Renji, still very weak, had no choice but to let himself be tucked in by his lieutenant.

"Where did you say we were again ?"

"We are in Karakura, in the new headquarters, where the Sotaicho gave a deployment order. The fourth division shares the thirteenth Squad's barracks for the time being back in the Seireitei. You should see their garrison. Ruins. All of it. Anyway, Unohana being deployed here in anticipation of the upcoming battle, Yamamoto-Sotaicho ordered the transfer here of all priority level one patients, that means you. He also sent Ukitake-Taicho in reinforcement. We're waiting for his orders. Shouldn't be too long now."

Renji clenched his jaw as he was starting to piece the puzzle together. His ego was more damaged than his body at this point. And for such wounds, he was starting to realize painfully that Unohana's bankai and Urahara's machine were clearly useless.

"Captain Kuchiki…"

"Not dead. Yay! He's doing much better. It was crazy. Just crazy! They were notaries everywhere taking notes and stuff. But this morning, he ordered all of them to go home. So, the house is just a little bit quieter. "

"Rukia ... I can feel her ... She's close..."

"She is still heavily sedated to help her recovery. I asked Shane to keep me updated."

"Shane Terashima."

"Yes, he's cool. Sometimes. We play music together."

"That's Kuchiki's Fuku-taicho. My replacement." 

"Well..."

"I know technically... But you said Rukia was in Recovery?"

"She blasted her own hand to kill one of the Primeros. It was really ugly but quite bold a move. Everybody and their mamas is talking about it. I'm personally super impressed."

"What?! She blew her hand!"

"Right to her wrist! Then she kept on fighting like nothing happened! Shane told me she was Kuchiki trained whatever that means! It shows! She lost so much blood it was touch and go for awhile. They thought she was going to pass away. Hence, the kuchiki's lawyers panic. The Yellow gates Protocol!" 

"What?! They engaged in Yellow gates for Rukia?" Renji was getting ready to bolt out of that bed again. 

"For Kuchiki-taicho too. They kind of took a beating at the hands of these guys."

"I need to..."

"Oh! Don't worry. Rukia's fine. She was seen by the best surgeons and benefited from the same technology that saved Hinamori and that vizard lady. I mean she got the very best care out there and they were able to grow back her limb. Her hand is in a cast. She is still in a medically-induced coma for the pain but that's it. She will be okay. She will be fine. So, what do you remember?"

Renji took a deep breath. What was this nightmare? His face closed off. He stared ahead. With a grimace, Renji folded his elbow to hide his face. He messed up. That's what he remembered.

"Several bastards. The third seat tried to sneak up on me. But I owned him... I was going to defeat him when this thing, this giant monster blew on my face and ... I lost control of my bankai ... I almost immediately lost consciousness after that."

Renji's eyes widened with horror as he remembered the scene. Hisagi felt the bandages on his own chest with a grimace.

"Rigor Mortis... The name of that beast. Damn strong."

" I screwed up Hisagi. It's my fault. I didn't evaluate the risk and we both fell into a deadly trap because of me."

"No? No. Nobody could have known."

"Yes. I was your captain. I definitely should have known."

"Didn't you hear what I just said? Those Primeros are a pain, Taicho?"

Renji swallowed hard.

"I failed. I knew I would suck at this."

"Don't say that."

"I screwed up and you almost lost your life on our very first mission together."

"We did what we could."

Renji clenched his fists nervously.

" It was all fucked up. I was busy fucking up while she was being a hero. That's typical!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Rukia got hurt."

"But that has nothing to do... Captain, you're too hard on yourself."

Hisagi lowered his head. Renji shook his head leaning forward. He wanted to scream his frustration.

"You saved my life, Shūhei."

"That's nothing… I have your back. You got mine. I trust you Renji. I will always follow your lead."

Renji shook his head. It wasn't enough that Shūhei felt that way. They were friends. Sure, Hisagi meant well, but he knew what happened back then. He fucked up and he almost got everybody killed.

"I think I need to rest a little."

The shoji door behind them slowly slid. Hisagi was surprised to find none other than the captain of the sixth division, Kuchiki Byakuya on the threshold. At his side stood his lieutenant, Shane Terashima. After opening the door to his captain, Shane stepped back again quietly. Behind them, there was a constant coming and going of soldiers, organized chaos. Hisagi frowned. Captain Kuchiki's clothes didn't do much to hide his own bandages. He looked bad too. However, Kuchiki-Taicho remaining Kuchiki-Taicho, Hisagi refrained from commenting on the abrupt arrival of the captain of the sixth division.

Byakuya was silent as he approached Renji's bed. Renji watched his former captain between bewilderment and mistrust. He had learned over the years that Byakuya did not move without having a good reason. He was an economist. He never made a superfluous gesture. Renji was not naive enough to think that Byakuya had come to him for a pat on the back. He had some unpleasant things to say. Byakuya swept the room with an ounce of indifference. He stood in silence for a minute. When he was ready, he told the unpleasant truths that only he could deliver.

"I was passing by on my way to see Rukia. I couldn't help but overhear what you just said. You were not ready just like I told you before, Renji. It is way too early for you to use your bankai in combat."

While Shuhei was speechless, Renji was not at all surprised. He knew Byakuya's propensity for spilling the bluntest truths. He was still the same man, the same captain that beat him into bloody submission back when they were at odds over Rukia's fate. He was still the same person that told him he could never reach him although that never stopped Renji from trying every day after that. A part of him still wanted to try even though he was starting to realize how pointless it was.

Shane's lips curved into the shadow of a smile before closing the door. Renji paled again. Yes, he knew. He had always known he was not up to it. He'd always known he was not up to Kuchiki Byakuya's level... that all the dreams he had had since he left the academy were just that ... dreams. He could never catch up to the man.

" Kuchiki-Taicho ... I cannot disagree more. Abarai-Taicho is an extraordinary leader… and with all due respect... you weren't even there. "

Renji was not surprised to see Shuhei's protests fall on deaf ears. True, he had not stayed long under his orders. But he knew the man. Byakuya never changed opinions easily. Ask Ichigo! So, he didn't expect he'd won any points.

" You could only fail, Renji."He simply said.

Renji lowered his head shamefully because once again, Byakuya Kuchiki had delivered a painful but blatant truth. There was no hatred or affection ... His message was dispassionate. There was nothing in the features of his face, not even anger. It was just the words of the one who had not expected anything better anyway. It was a message from someone who was not even disappointed. The sharp power of these words came only from there, the real lack of spite. It cut deeply.

* * *

**Byakuya Kuchiki**

Head of the Kuchiki clan

Captain of the sixth division

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia.

He knew better than anyone the damage of an injured ego.

* * *

" You were not ready. It's too early for you to use your bankai in combat."

" Kuchiki-Taicho ... I cannot disagree more. Abarai-Taicho is an extraordinarily good leader… and with all due respect...you weren't even there. "

Extraordinary, that deeply remained to be seen, Byakuya thought. He was disappointed and deeply troubled. Yes, but not because Abarai lost. Well, he couldn't say he was contented with his kouhai being defeated. But since he lost his own fight, he couldn't exactly cast the first stone. He pondered aloud what went wrong with him all night to no avail. His head had definitely not been in this fight and it shows. What disappointed Byakuya was that he expected better. People lose sometimes. It's what they do after that was rather important to him. He was disappointed because he expected more blatant opposition directly from Renji himself. Instead, he was bowing his head pitifully. Maybe that meant he was ready to hear, maybe that meant he was ready for the next phase, maybe that was it. But he was afraid, his spirit, what made him so special, to begin with, was gone. Disappointed didn't even begin to cover it. Byakuya glared at Shane beside him before he walked toward Renji's bed. The door slammed shut behind him.

" I told you before. It is not enough to own a Bankai to be captain."

He said ignoring Hisagi in the corner.

How many times should he repeat this evidence for these fools to take note? Ichigo? Renji?

"I know that I don't deserve to wear this haori! You think I don't know that !"

Renji retorted.

" I don't need anyone to come and tell me! More than anyone, I know my own limitations! So you can leave!"

Hisagi paled considerably. That was harsh! He watched Kuchiki Byakuya's reaction. One thing was sure! Nobody spoke to Kuchiki Byakuya that way!

Without showing any emotion, Byakuya turned to the lieutenant.

"Hisagi Shuhei, I need to speak with Captain Abarai. Alone."

Hisagi didn't know what to do. It honestly sounded like they were about to duel right there in that tiny cramped room. Hisagi hesitated, looking over his shoulder for his captain's approval. Renji shrugged softly, discontent still marring his features. Renji had simply noted that for the first time his former captain had called him by his honorary title.

"I don't think the captain is up for it... He just woke up."

Now Byakuya Kuchiki was turning to Shuhei slowly as if surprised he was still here. He said nothing but Shuhei got the message. That wasn't an option. If Shuhei wanted to keep things civil, he better not be a hindrance.

" I will be fine, Shuhei." Renji intervened.

"Very well, I'm not far, Captain. I will be waiting with Shane outside. Just call me if you need anything.

Hisagi bowed quickly and closed the door behind him as he left. Byakuya stared the ground for a few minutes. He suppressed a smile. He had seen the barely veiled threat that the vice-captain had sent him. Interesting!

"I think you said what you have to say, Taicho ... I messed up. I failed to protect my men, almost got Hisagi killed, and Rangiku is gone in the hand of the enemy."

Byakuya ignored Renji and spoke naturally when he decided five long minutes later.

"Whether you deserve this haori or not Abarai-Taicho, is not for me to judge. It has absolutely no connection with what I'm telling you. You have been designated to wear it. If you cannot understand this simple fact, you should resign from your position at the earliest. This job is not for you."

" Kuchiki-taicho ..."

Byakuya glanced out the window, his hand behind his back.

"You just said ..."

"I said it was too early for you to use Bankai. But what I think does not matter and furthermore does not impact on reality. Each division operates independently from each other. You've been chosen. Renji, you're captain. This is a truth now indisputable. Even I, Byakuya Kuchiki cannot challenge it today. This is certainly not my concern. In time, you will fulfill your destiny and become one of the greatest, I don't doubt."

His eyes wide, Renji was speechless.

"Why are you saying this? Why? No! What should have I done differently? I'm not fit for the haori. You don't have to be nice about it now."

Byakuya settled in Hisagi's deserted chair.

"Do I look like someone who will waste energy just being nice on a sunny day?"

Renji looked up at his former captain, noticing for the first time his worn-out expression. Byakuya Kuchiki looked like shit. Still, he managed to maintain a distinct grace about it.

" I should have been more careful."

"Probably."

"They took Rangiku. I swear I wanted to protect her. I fail. I tried so hard and still fail. It stings. How could you understand, you who never make any mistakes?"

Byakuya's shot an eyebrow in utter shock. Was it how Renji was seeing him? Like Someone who never made any mistakes? What naivety? Was it not the same Renji who had tried to confront him not too long ago in Rukia's name knowing Byakuya was wrong?

" We all make mistakes. I'm not an exception, Renji."

"But you never had this type of lapse of judgments, I know you, Captain."

Byakuya was quiet for a while.

" In my youth, I also wanted to surpass someone, Renji."

Renji locked eyes with his captain again. He knew. He always knew.

"Except the person I wanted to surpass… That person was dead."

Renji wanted to ask who that person was but he was already stunned by how much his former mentor had revealed. He swallowed hard.

" And what happened?"

" I did everything. I became Captain. I thought that was it. He was just a lieutenant when he died. I made it. The year of my accession to the rank of captain, I made an error of judgment that cost the life of my sixth seat. At the time, I was a stupid young master ... One of those who thinks that fighting is all about demonstrating the strength of their immature bankai. I was so busy getting rid of a Gillian army that I did not pay attention when the Sixth Seat was swept into the Hueco Mundo by a tornado of spiritual pressure. I had no idea what to do. We never found her. I could have saved her. I spent the following years dreaming of all the ways I could have saved her. But the fact is I didn't. This sixth seat was called Stella Terashima. It was the twin sister of my vice-captain Shane Terashima. My youngest cousin."

" Terashima's sister?"

"I couldn't face Shane after taking the only family he had left. He couldn't look at me either. That is why I chose you as my lieutenant. I needed to cover for my mistake. Captains make mistakes Renji. You once was brave enough to correct my path. So I trust this is nothing to you."

Byakuya did not take his eyes off him and especially did not change his expression.

"Being a captain is not about counting the number of mistakes was made. It is counting all the actions you took, all the solutions you brought to the table… It's about protecting those under your protection, being present, day after day, your head in the fight. It's about learning."

Renji nodded and gripped his blanket firmly.

" I see."

They sat in companionable silence.

"I still want to surpass you," Renji said.

Byakuya smiled faintly, rather pleased.

"Good."

Most of the time, he did not like to open up or share his experience. But sometimes, these steps were necessary to prevent past mistakes from being reiterated by future generations. When he had appointed Renji to the post of vice-captain, he had not suspected for a second that Renji would climb up the ladder so fast. He had discovered a talented and promising young man. At first, he thought that it would take years, even decades before this talent could flourish and mature properly. The execution of Rukia had precipitated things and Renji had emancipated much faster than expected. He would never admit it. But Renji did the impossible. Renji had succeeded where his predecessor had failed. He was already reaching Byakuya. He had really become an exceptional shinigami.

However, it was too early for him to rest on his laurels, his power was still fragile, raw and untamed. Protecting millions rather than just one was new to him. But Renji had tried to save Rukia and served him well, Byakuya was indebted to him.

"Captain Kuchiki…"

Turning only halfway, the noble stared at him with the same uncompromising look.

"Nothing… Thank you, Captain Kuchiki."

Stoic as he was two minutes earlier, Byakuya almost jumped from his chair when his favorite demon woman appeared behind the shoji doors. After shooing Shane and Hisagi away, she pushed the door open.

" Oops! I'm sorry to interrupt you, gentlemen."

Suki Ichinose was holding a silver tray.

" Hisagi told me you were finally awake, Abarai-taicho. You look better. I brought you some soup so that you could get back your strength. It's a recipe from my father. Kuchiki-sama, good day to you."

With a trademark smile, she briefly turned to Byakuya to acknowledge his presence.

"I must warn you though, Abarai-kun. Someone told me I'm not making it as well as my father."

She send a glare in the direction of the noble. Byakuya had noticed earlier that Suki-chan's memory worked like her sanity, that is to say in mysterious ways. He simply licked his lips, while his left eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. That's not at all what he said. This treacherous woman! She sighed with pride.

"But I will not give up! I must keep trying, I need to make my father proud. So I made it again this morning, adding just a little bit of… I can't tell you… You will tell me what you think."

Byakuya clenched his fist. Suki circled his chair to put the tray in front of Renji.

" Oh yeah and Hisagi also specifically asked me to rescue you from Kuchiki-sama's claws. So I guess I'm rescuing too."

She snapped her tongue at him. How adorable! She was glowing in her ridiculous red heart-shaped apron. Byakuya immediately stood up, careful and polite.

"We were having… a very important discussion, Ichinose-Taicho…"

"Well, about that! Don't listen to a word that Kuchiki-sama could say, Abarai-Taicho, you fought very well. Primeros are horrible evil creatures. Look at my neck! I'm disfigured! They were real barbarians! This fight was the hardest. I am in so much pain. Hanatarō -chan inserted this big needle in my arm and I honestly thought that was it. I was gonna die there. My brain shot with sudden pain and I almost blacked out. But since Kuchiki-sama was spying on me; I could do nothing but try to put up a strong front. Between us, he must have a fetish. So I willed myself to pull through during the enduring time, I hate needles. They frightened me so much. These creatures are ruthless and mean… Mean beyond beliefs… it's like they never heard of love… ... and ... they don't have suki-chan or families. How could that be?"

How could that be really? Byakuya blinked twice. Did she just outed him as a pervert? He cleared his throat. Unfortunately, it did not stop Suki's gossip. The young woman settled on the chair abandoned by Byakuya. As for Renji, he misinterpreted the gesture of his former taicho.

"You want some soup too, Taicho?"

Plunging a spoon into the bowl, Suki then directed it toward Renji's mouth. With hesitation, Renji opened his mouth, Suki started to feed him like she would a child.

"No… Kuchiki-sama ... No, he does not eat. Never. Not never. Never. He drinks water and he eats sometimes… but only junk food. I mean it's obvious he doesn't have a healthy diet. Look at him! I blame his personal staff."

"You said the Taiyakis was your recipe. I like them. "

"But your personal cook stole it from me and I didn't make it for you. You wouldn't let me. You know I can do much better."

"I simply told you this morning it was not necessary."

"See. You see that? You hear this? You see what I have to put up with. He is so stubborn. They are all so stubborn. Anyway, I thought, Abarai-Taicho, that he would be forced at some point to eat my delicate cuisine. But no ... He's one of those people who never eat."

"I had breakfast with everyone this morning. Hinamori and Ukitake were my witnesses. " 

Renji frowned. It almost sounded like a whine. Suki-chan just shrugged.

"You barely ate and you look really worried. Was the eggs benedict not to your liking?"

Byakuya frowned at a loss of words. Well, of course, he was worried. He was going to have to tell her at some point about her father. He was trying to think hard about ways to conceal the truth from her. However to answer Suki-chan's question, he was smart enough to divert her attention. Her eggs were divine as were her sophisticated pancake soufflé. He discreetly had two plates of those. Yet, he was glad she did not notice. 

"You made enough food to live through a siege. Nobody can eat that much."

"You could have at least entertain me once." 

He would have if Ukitake hadn't been watching him like a hawk. 

"If you had made anything that was remotely close to being good, why not? It was barely edible as it is." He lied boldly just to see her get flushed and sweaty.

She glared at Byakuya. He silently seethed. She was talking way too much anyway.

"Just ignore him, Abarai-kun. He is like a troll sometimes. Not eating is not natural. All creatures of all dimensions need to feed, Abarai-kun. I was discussing it with Momo-chan. She believes that it is a question of free-will like Kuchiki-sama it seems. You see Momo would only eat watermelon if she was ever given the choice. So I told her, "Momo, your chest will never grow with such a diet." As a captain and a friend, I do not give her a choice. For a woman, it's very important, as important as building muscle ... You have to have the perfect diet. I was betting with my sisters or with Yoruichi-chama when I was young ... I am pretty proud of the result I must say. I think Momo should really ... do something for her chest. I don't really know how to tell her. What do you think? Should I insist? Should I be blunt about it?"

She said candidly turning to both captains for advice. Renji and Byakuya both blushed at the same time as they caught one another admiring Suki's curves. In fact, she was leaning toward Renji with her spoon, presenting much more cleavage than necessary, and Byakuya had a magnificent view on her peach-shaped bottom. Why were they discussing Hinamori's breasts again? How did they end up here? To go from Kuchiki Taicho's solemn pep-talk to Ichinose-Taicho's superficial babble demanded some intellectual elasticity, Renji felt exhausted beyond belief but found that being taken care of by a cute girl was worth the hassle. Irritated to the core, Byakuya looked up at the skies, turned heels and left the room, slamming the door. Suki jumped, glancing over her shoulder.

" What did I say again? Does he not like Momo's breasts?" Suki pouted.

However, Byakuya leaned slightly against the wall just outside the room, unable to leave these two idiots alone.

"You were a little harsh with Captain Kuchiki. I don't know him to be much of a bust connoisseur. He is not much of a breasts man." Renji said. "He is not really easily charmed I can say, because I've seen so many women tried. I'm a breast man. I appreciate beauty. In that regard, you're perfect, Ichinose-Taicho. Thank you for encouraging Momo."

"I didn't realize! That's so nice of you to say! You're a nice person!"

"Suki-dono ... Suki-chan, don't cry!"

"He does not like my cooking. He does not like the way I dress. He does not like anything I do. I'm sorry ... I don't want to cry. But sometimes, tears come along to wash away my frustration. He says he barely tolerates me. And I don't know ... I don't know why it hurts me so much ... I barely can tolerate this man as it is… Maybe it's because I'm really trying ... I'm so out of place here."

Renji raised his eyebrows. That was a lot of information to record when you wake up.

"Suki-chan ..."

"I should have reacted earlier. I should have been a good soldier. But my bankai ... I barely control it. I told them… I don't know how to use bankai. I mean I know. But although I don't know. I really tried. I just wanted to make one friend but I think I was wrong. I got it wrong. And I should not have ... told him that I liked him. I think he takes me for a brainless airhead now. I always say things that are wrong with him. He must hate me…"

She frowned, very focused, her expressions shifting suddenly to pure determination.

" And I should hate him! I should hate him back! He does not like my cooking! How dare he? He is not even a gourmet. I will hate him in the future! That's it I will spray him only with contempt ... But he is sometimes so funny and kind ... Only the next minute, he is gruff and caustic ...like a bitter old man."

" Kuchiki-Sama, funny? Oh, Ichinose-taicho ..."

"Yes? Oh, I'm talking too much again, right?"

"No ... no ... I understand. It's hard to say with Kuchiki-sama! Captain Kuchiki may seem rather gruff at first. He is cold. You should have seen me when I started serving him. He did not speak to me until our first mission in the world of the living to find his sister. Suki-sama is a good person. I volunteer to be her friend without any problem if she agrees to stop crying. I'm already her friend anyway and her biggest fans. The peanut bubble cake you made that time when we had tea at Ukitake's!"

"You remember that!"

"The best I ever had… Ask Rukia!"

Byakuya stared at the floor distractedly. He heard her sniff. In the bedroom, Suki wiped her tears. Renji no doubt helped her with handkerchiefs taken from his bedside table. He could imagine them as mere brainless creatures commiserating on their respective woes. He clenched his fist. He wanted to punch something.

" Thank you Abarai-Taicho! I'm so grateful! Sorry. I got a little carried away. But this man gets under my skin. Who does he think he is, Abarai-Taicho, to refuse our friendship with so much obstinacy? We're good people!"

"Indeed we are."

"Yes, forgive me Abarai-Taicho."

"Arf, it's nothing. Can you call me Renji? So tell me, what have you done in the world of the living since your arrival?"

" We had nothing to do! I went to school. It was a little fun to teach. And there was this great café. But when I proposed to go there…"

"Let me guess, Kuchiki-sama threw you out of the moving car?"

"How do you know?"

Byakuya clenched his jaw. It was not one of his finest moments, it's true. But really, she, too, did not know how to choose her moments. In his defense, he had asked Shane to slow down before pushing her out of the car.

"It was horrible. I walked."

An aggravated Byakuya could picture Suki's eyes filled with unshed tears.

"You have not had any bad encounters at least? Because there are funny bozos in this city."

"No! But that's exactly what I said to Kuchiki-sama! An unknown city is always a very dangerous place for a frail woman."

Suki Ichinose was a spirit, a captain ... She had completed Bankai. She had reiatsu like Royalty! What puny human could effectively pose a threat to this demon woman? She did not risk anything. And Abarai was only encouraging her! The criteria for accession to the captaincy had fallen since the arrival of these two idiots.

" I believe you. There is a guy for example who claims to be a shinigami. Kurumadame Amamiya ... Or Kurudani ... Anyway ... He's wearing an afro. You have to be a little suspicious of him. It is not very clear where he comes from. Nobody heard about him. Ask Rukia."

He heard her nodding, the hairpins tingling in her hair.

" You tried to watch TV?"

Suki shook her head, her eyes wide. Once again, the melody of her golden hairpins gave Byakuya an idea of her answer.

"Because there are cooking channels."

" Channels about cooking…In the square box ... With these funny people inside like the transmissions of the SeishinKeikoroku."

"Yes, they have talk shows all day just about food. I think you'd like it."

" Is that true? I ... I did not know."

"Yes ... They worship food because humans are well-known to love eating! They even distribute food in giant boxes."

"Oh! Oh ! I saw them in the school. But there were no instructions for use. I asked Kuchiki-sama but ..."

" It's because he does not know ... I am quite knowledgeable about it."

As if he did not know how to use a distributor of "things" ... "confectionery"! What did Renji know anyway? Byakuya might have had a lot of experience with these boxes ... machines too! He might not have wanted to share his knowledge with that airhead.

" In all honesty, if you are looking for an expert, without boasting, you have it in front of you."

Abarai, an expert? It was better to laugh! He had spent a grand total of "two weeks" in the world of the living and already he was proclaiming himself expert in order to boast in front of doe-eyed girls with deep gold and bronze hair. In the realm of imbeciles, the fool was king. As if he, Kuchiki Byakuya had time for this? They were here on a mission. Had those two forgotten? Or was sightseeing more important? And then Abarai, he should have let him mope a little longer! Byakuya had been benevolent enough to boost his former subordinate self-esteem, he cheered him up and that was all the reward he got. They deserved each other well.

"Will you show me how to use it?"

"Of course. When all this story is over, we'll go for a walk. And Suki-sama will see everything the modern world has to offer. We will have so much fun!"

Suki was clapping hands in anticipation. Renji gave her a silent mischievous wink. Byakuya had heard enough of this nonsense and went to see Rukia.

* * *

> **Coloring of a doujinshi page by[ ted1369](https://www.deviantart.com/ted1369)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Next Chapter = Wishes do come true**
> 
> Sometimes I laughed at myself because I realized I imagined a whole story with dozens of characters for just a couple of magical key scenes with my faves I wish I'd found in the manga. No Kidding, I think this is one of them. It's just the closest to an acknowledgment as we gonna get from Byakuya. There are not a lot of fighters he actually respects. A lot of people, he would willingly help get better. This is also me rewarding Renji's tenacity because he made it. He made it to where he could reach Byakuya. He is a captain now. He is among the greats. I'm pretty proud of both.


	38. Wishes do come true

* * *

**Reiichi**

Leader of the Zero Squad

Father of ReiHachi,

First Son of the Spirit King

Master of Swords

He was good at taking on other people's burdens, whether they asked him or not, whether they were grateful or not, whether he liked it or not...

* * *

_Ichigo groaned loudly. Blinded again by a desire almost turned into lust, he persisted beyond his limits. He exhaled. It was beyond powerful, the force nailing him into an awkward position. More gravels and sands gravitated around him. Rukia! Dark ink colored his left pupils and started coloring the other. His mind finally turned blank except for that vision of Rukia's body hitting the railings of the Onose Bridge over and over. His chain of destiny appeared on his chest, entirely broken and eaten. It crumbled to leave a hole in his chest. He opened his eyes to the world, and it became critically red._

_" I want everyone to be fine. I want my friends to be okay_ ** _._** _I_ _want Ulquiorra to be fine. Take everything you need from me but not them. Please,_ ** _I command you now_**." Orihime prayed.

_"To this Suki, I, her father, bequeath… Death." It was the last words Tadashi wrote to his favorite Suki before he committed suicide._

_Suki shook her head. She couldn't keep her eyes from his. Even though she wasn't so sure she could do it, she had no hesitation about trying. She focused seriously and fed him a teaspoon of her reiatsu like she learned at that academy decades ago. Byakuya bolted upright with a grunt, scaring Suki with his outburst. The woman ungracefully fell back on her bottom._

Somewhere in a dark room, a small white stone on a satin pillow shone brightly in the darkness, casting colorful lights on the walls, as a thousand candles lit itself one by one. Someone… Something approached the altar with a slight limp in its steps. It was walking with an ornamented cane, its breath shallow and ragged, smoke coming out of its foul mouth, his fangs white in the dark. It had four eyes for a graceful nose, not all of them visible at all times, features grim and alien and ebony hair that fell graciously on his back. He was wearing an attire of pure incandescent white with feathers so bright it looks like the tail of a fallen star. In the dim-lit room, it leaned over the jewel and grinned showing the whitest fangs. It admired a thousand of possible future from this unique perspective. Behind him, shadows began to dance, animated by a will of their own.

 _Aizen seemingly slept in his sarcophagus in Muken, dreaming of the day he will fulfill his destiny._ **Granted.**

He will soon...

_Gin leaned heavily against the wall, feeling its pulsation under his palm. Then he crawled on his knees. Rangiku. He fought for control to no avail. Rangiku. The particles of reishi dividing in a sub-atomic level and floating in the air while sekisekki fell to dust on the ground. He groaned… Just this once… He needed to… Jerking back violently, stumbling backward, his mouth open, the beast inhaled everything around him. The wall collapsed from the inside, sucked in by one mysterious force._

Licking his fangs in anticipation, the creature clapped hands with enthusiasm. Chaos. It created. To have all the Sons and Daughters of the Old Ones walking the lower levels at once. He joined hands and the shadowy figure resembling Menos Grande bowed down in front of his throne. There was a parade of happy skeletons before they dissolved in the darkness.

The creature smirked as he spent the next hours, granting wishes after wishes. It was as if he was moving pawns on a chess game. The shadows kept morphing into new paintings. It was interesting until it wasn't anymore. Finally, seemingly exhausted it plopped itself down on the golden throne facing the grand stairway and the giant doors, stroking the stone slowly, like one would stroke a pet, patiently waiting for his own wish to be granted.

> ****
> 
> **by[ Sephiroth-Art](https://www.deviantart.com/sephiroth-art)**

**Hidden Citizens - Für Elise (Epic Trailer Version) (Hybrid Orchestral Choral)**

The door opened slowly as a dark silhouette played hide and seek with the ghostly shadows of the chandeliers on the walls. The floor trembled imperceptibly. Reiichi's entrances were always very impressive to the unaccustomed witness. But the creature only regretted that his flesh didn't know the meaning of stealth. His massive Hatomune armor made a deafening metallic noise at each of his steps and his shadow kept growing on the wall. He always stepped in here with purpose unlike the true owner of the place, it almost made the creature envious.

It snapped his tongue playfully waiting patiently for him to settle comfortably at the end of the stairway. Reiichi stood in the light regally in his samurai armor. After a pause, he slowly kneeled the way of a samurai in front of his Daimyō, his Hatomune wincing when his knees touched the ground. He slowly undid his belt and placed his Nodachi with care in front of him.

The creature leaned in his throne leisurely.

"You're grown, my boy. It's been so long. Did you sleep well?"

Reiichi swallowed hard.

"Spare me the useless banter… We are awake because you are awake. What do you want?"

"Is that a way to talk to your king?"

Reiichi rolled his shoulder and tilted his head on the left, his face hidden by a mask of bronze.

"Is that a way to talk to your oldest son?"

"You were not always my oldest, were you? Children bring their parents so much worry."

"Yet, you are not resting, Father."

"I admit I have been restless. Work. Duty. You know the usual."

The creature said with a shrug.

A pause.

"I asked you: What do you want?"

A heavy sigh was heard as the creature joined its claws in front of him. A million wishes were swimming in his head, none were his own. Smoke came out of his mouth again in the semi-dark room.

"How is it downstairs? Is everything all right?"

"We will look into it ourselves. No need to trouble yourself, your… Majesty."

"Maybe you would want me to help. I was scheduled to wake up at the end of this century for a casual day of request."

"You will get to meet Reiyon soon enough like you intended to."

" Yet, I am curious about those disturbances."

"It's Curious, I agree."

"I am also rather discontented. So much noise... It's almost to rest in this condition."

"I imagine, your highness."

" However, you know you can find in me your greatest ally. I will gladly help in any capacity. You just have to say the words."

"I didn't say a word. Still, I was summoned."

He said emphasizing each word.

"I wish you would stop seeing me as the villain in the story."

"Let's not talk about the way I see you. Let's not make this unpleasant."

"See, boy, I wrote the story. I cannot be the villain. I gave life to all these characters and they are acting up..."

The creature showed his sharp fangs again. Reiichi remained silent.

"How is my favorite granddaughter?"

"Busy with work as you intended. We all are. What else?"

"Did you tell her to keep a special eye on Aizen for me? Now that the man swallowed an Hōgyoku, I am afraid he is a particularly dangerous man. I shudder to think what could have become of little old me, had his plan succeeded. He could have invaded and killed me on the spot. "

"You have to thank the _Goteijūsantai_ for that."

"Kudos to my beloved Royal Court Squads! Very impressive!"

It snarled.

"Yet, you parked Aizen in the same jail with my uncle? Your undefeated enemy? What are you planning?"

"It was a choice I had to make, Reiichi. Muken is not just any prison. It's the safest place in the universe. I only trusted that he would be kept in the best jail ever forged. Did you know your mother build it? It can hold any creatures that ever existed even Gods like us. And now there's my dear bright Kakira at its head in any case? I feel safe already. You must be a proud father?"

Reiichi finally looked the creature in the eye.

"Are you?"

Grabbing his weapon, he stepped forward, walking ever so slowly until he stood behind iron bars that simply materialized out of nowhere.

"Are you a proud father?" Reiichi repeated.

The creature shrugged, averting its eyes.

"Once I was… Girls they bring something else to the table, don't you think?"

It said casually.

"I wouldn't know what that feels like. I wouldn't know… Kakira is rather independent. I haven't helped her stand on her own. She doesn't need it. In fact, I haven't seen her in centuries just like… you intended."

"Such loss… I raised a girl. I should know. They are the heart and soul of everything."

Reiichi gritted his teeth.

" You are insane."

"That hurts. Every creature, every spirit got a purpose…"

"Yet, you have none."

It smirked, his eyes taking an unnatural crimson color.

"Tssk…Tssk, that's not true, is it?"

"Again, enough with the charades! What… do…you… want?" Reiichi roared again.

"Everyday is the same. I listen to everyone's prayers but mine. I do everyone's bidding but mine. Can't I just get one wish?"

"One wish and you'd go back to sleep. Is that the price to pay for peace nowadays?"

"You are unnecessarily rude to your father."

"Are you going to play the victim?"

"From time to time, one needs to be entertained. Even the fool that entertains everyone."

"Like I said, nobody got time to listen to your whining, old man!"

The creature suddenly bolted from his chair, his eyes red, fangs gleaming, and the ground shook violently in several planes of existence. Thunder resonated against the walls.

"I am your King! Your king! Have some respect!"

It was his turn to roar his answer, just as savage.

"Let me be clear, old man! King or not! You are never getting out of here. You will never pass the threshold of that door for as long as I breathe. That is the deal you made! We come to you… You don't come to us."

The creature sat back in his chair slowly. It started to pet his stone even more anxiously. Reiichi kneeled again.

"Very well. Have it your way! You're so stubborn. I wonder who'd you get this from."

"Just like you intended, Father!" He groaned.

"I am still your king!"

"What about it then?"

"I heard you will be gathering my people in the Red Chamber. Good! Good! It means the cook needs to come back, right?"

Reiichi closed his eyes with an obvious twitch in his lips.

"Be a nice boy. Fetch the ingredients for him this time. You will find I made a thorough list. I try to plan ahead. I don't trust those mortal souls. Yet, I don't trust you. So, don't try to keep those ingredients to yourself like last time. Don't try to be sneaky using the only room in the castle I cannot spy on! I will wait for the perfect replenishing supper! Don't make me wait another century. I am starving. I don't wanna lose control this time and hurt… people... worlds...universes..."

Reiichi gritted his teeth, staring at the creature, his eyes flashing with unrestrained anger. His voice, however, was cold and devoid of emotions.

"You're asking me to start a war, your Majesty?"

"Isn't that your specialty?"

The king said, inspecting his claws lazily. Reiichi said nothing, silently seething.

"But no, the war has already began. I told you. I've been writing this story for a long time."

"Very well, I have urgent matters to attend then, your highness. Will that be all?"

"Masahiro… Son…"

He turned one last time.

"You did not even ask what's on the list."

The door was slammed shut without much preamble. The creature grinned before departing into a sardonic laugh.

The endless hallways were swallowing his reiatsu outbursts greedily and every door on his path slammed opened and shut automatically. Reiichi froze on the threshold outside and took one very unnecessary breath after another. The Samurai reflected upon the work he had to do in the name of his cruel Master. He shook his head slowly and walked toward the Garden.

* * *

**Reiyon**

Alias Kirio Hikifune

Member of the Zero Squad

Mistress of Keys

Ex-captain of the 12th division

Ex-girlfriend of Sasakibe Chōjirō

Someone sold her a dream years ago, a broken heart made her accept in a hurry. Today, she thought herself entitled to a refund.

* * *

In Tengoku[1], the sun always rises north and set in the west. The river streaming toward west dived in waterfalls into an emerald lake in the form of a star. The first lights of the day warmed all the flourished and polished woods of the castle. The place will be ablaze with lights, golden ornaments, and reiasekki shimmering.

**Asian Lofi HipHop Mix (Tenno - Journey)**

Truth be told, she never ceases to admire the view of the garden from her window. Dressed into an asymmetric one sleeve white Shihakusho with a frontal _Muneate_ , to cover her chest, a cup of tea in her hand, Kirio was quite ready to start the day. It was just another day. Another day in heaven.

She cautiously put down the tea on her desk and parted the shoji doors to enter the garden. A phoenix with its fiery wings glided softly past her, so warm next to her skin. She knew there was a reason she accepted this job even f she struggled these days to remember it. She was fascinated with the incredible wildlife. The creature flew past her once before flying away in the greenery. She decided to follow him in the Garden. It was easy enough thanks to the burning feathers it left behind. Instead of leaving ashes, it would leave a speck of golden scented dust when it grew cold.

These walks in nature reminded her of Soul Society and of her humble beginnings. She stood absolutely stunned as she realized she was surrounded by hundreds of these glorious creatures flying in Rotunda, their orange and yellow ridges writhing in the air. Even though they were nocturnal creatures, the phoenix's feathers were at its most flamboyant mid-day. At night they would take their flight in the star-studded sky so quick you could only see their flamboyant trail. But during the day, they travel like a flock like a hundred little suns together. It was the first time she observed that many that closely, they were generally wary creatures They didn't like to be approached. The scene she was privy too was a rare sight even for her for which this place had become a home over the last centuries.

She watched as they flew in a seemingly choreographed ballet close to the ground, some of them sucking up the sweet nectar of grenadiers, some dancing around her tree, their feathers glowing with yellow flames. She suddenly stopped, for it wasn't a tree they were circling happily, but a tall young man getting out of the lake slowly, his strong muscular body dripping with water. She realized silver carp that was ten times his size jump above his head and playfully raced with him to the shore. The phoenix would get their shares, catching a fish or two above water. She approached silently fascinated and bumped and leaned against a monument of stone, before realizing it represented a Nodachi embedded in the ground. She looked around the lake and searched for the man again. Only there was no one in the surface, not even a riddle. She frowned. Where did he go? Several minutes passed by. She became inexplicably agitated and frantic, and before realizing what she was doing took off her shoes and started to enter the water.

A carp suddenly jumped in front of her, spraying her with water. It all happens too suddenly for her to avoid it. All she could do was shudder in anticipation, but the water was hot like in an onsen. When she recovered from her shock, the man was getting out of the water a couple of feet from her, ignoring her. He stood next to a bench in stone.

She couldn't see his face, just his naked back. She stepped closer, holding her zanpakutō's guard closely. Her hair was a rich vibrant ebony color, reaching far down his glistening muscular back. He was softly caressing a phoenix, relishing the sensation of his large hand burning.

"Don't come any closer. I am not yet suited for visitors." He warned sternly.

She stopped, recognizing this voice, even though it missed a certain edge and deepness. She immediately bent over. She noticed that everything was perishing around him, the grass turning a crisp brown in a large perimeter around him. That must be what he meant when he said he was not suited for visitors.

"I am so sorry… Reiichi, I didn't know it was you. I would have never… Interrupted."

He remained in the same position on his bench surrounded by his pets. He scratched his back nonchalantly.

"No need to apologize."

She nodded with a blush.

"I am not used to seeing anyone bathe here… So, I got curious… I will leave you to..."

"My mother built this garden for us, her children. We are not quite children anymore, but I found out it's one of the only places I can still rest."

"I see. I didn't know that."

"How could you know? You were not even conceived yet."

She blushed, half amused. It was just the way he said it so casually like he was just an old grump. It was a total contrast with his smooth features that didn't look a day over thirty.

"There is that I suppose. Thank you for reminding me. I can see where Kakira got her bluntness from."

Barely registering a smile in the form of a twitch of the lips, he mostly ignored her to continue.

"The irony is that it's people like you that truly appreciate the beauty and magic in all of this. I remember master Tadashi spending quite a bit of time in here, just meditating… or watching his girls play. His peculiar daughters were all identical to me but not only he knew each of them by heart, but he perfectly understood and accepted all their differences. That was quite remarkable to me."

Kirio tried hard not to stare at his body. She spent a large amount of time in the military and she had seen a fair share of half-naked men, but never had she encountered such an attractive being and it had to be Kakira's daddy. She observed his sharp jaw and delicately sculpted cheekbones. His dark brows were actually graceful but currently furrowed in a frown. He was definitely less massive and bulky than his armor made it appear. He was lean and tall. His eyelashes she found was the most spectacular of all. It was so dark and lush without softening his face. Something smacked her forehead once then twice.

She blinked realizing it wasn't any way to look at a married godlike being that was her boss. She needed to get a life. Asap.

A berry knocked her cheek once again, she blinked, a ghostly creature was standing behind him, taunting her. At times, the baboon with a snake tail, and the tiger made of smoke became entirely corporal. But they mostly remain ethereal just to annoy the hell out of her.

He shooed them away, amused.

" Guardians? I cannot believe what I see. I come here every morning before my shift. It's usually so peaceful and so deserted. I have never seen such a gathering. They must like you. They must have missed you."

He said nothing, petting the white tiger made of smoke with ease.

"Mother gathered every specimen of flowers you could find and the most exceptional creatures just to entertain us. I used to spend my days here with them when I was younger. I guess I developed a thing for all silent creatures."

He said with a smirk. Was that a coded message? He liked silence. She talked too much. She stared at his eyes and noticed his gaze was empty again as if he was lost in thoughts. He barely finished his sentence that giant peacocks raced in the alley. She parted clumsily to avoid being trampled. The phoenixes took flight in a hurry. Reiichi remained just where he was, unflinching. Unbothered. The creatures parted around him momentarily and like a river stream joined again, running feathers against feathers toward the west. The ground shook under their big feet and the little troop rushed into a grove.

She didn't know where to look or what to say.

"Hum, you must be getting ready for our gathering. You must be impatient to see everyone again."

He frowned as if he remembered she was there.

"That's unlikely. Will it be your first time?"

"The second one to be precise. But the first wasn't that memorable. It was actually a bit awkward."

She leaned on the nodachi. He paused, staring at the fountain. He probably didn't care. When he took a long time to respond, she shifted on her legs, asking herself if she should leave him. Finally, he seemed to remember they were having a conversation.

"I remember we got introduced before I fell asleep. Tadashi chose you to replace Ichibē Hyōsube if my memory serves me correctly. He was a good man. He was devoted to my father."

There was another pause.

"True, you have a perfect memory, Sir."

"My brother is right. You don't have to call me Sir."

She blushed.

"I don't know what else to call you considering the… circumstances. Prince doesn't seem to fit here."

The wind bowed down a field of tulips.

"I am certainly no prince is what you mean."

He said his head tilting in amusement.

"That's not what I mean, Sir! This is absolutely… not…"

He snickered.

"Someone may have mentioned you were easy to tease."

She smiled.

"Kakira. I bet she meant that as a compliment."

"Absolutely, she is quite fond of you. You're lucky. She can be partial."

"I am the lucky one. She is the friendliest face around here and that's quite an achievement." She said quite sarcastically.

He said nothing. As if she just realized what she just said, she turned a heavy shade of red.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. You've been quite nice the other day."

"No, I wasn't. I haven't been nice for at least four centuries. I would have remembered not wanting to annihilate this place once. It wasn't always this peaceful though. Sister would brag about being stronger than all of us… stronger than the Spirit God itself. You'd like her. She was the heart of this house. It was never the same after…"

He stared ahead shortly, seemingly lost in his thought.

"After?"

He closed his eyes.

"Just some old stories."

"Being a Kaijū… A transient God… You must have thousands of old stories to tell."

He frowned at that. The light in his eyes flickered from dark to light. His eyes usually so emotionless was filled with sudden despair and rage. She couldn't believe her eyes. She marched toward him forgetting caution and kneeled just in front of him, oblivious that this kind of proximity could cause her death. In his dark pupil, she could see the story of how this universe came to form, how one entity became two and how they presided together over seven planes of existence. In his red pupil, a fire burned constantly, telling the stories of the constant state of conflicts. She touched the side of his face softly.

He stared in her eyes with such intensity, before realizing what that fool was doing, her hand catching fire against his skin. But what she said next disturbed him even more for some reason and he didn't move.

"I'm truly sorry about that. I shouldn't have asked… It's obviously painful to you… It's just… So much happened before my arrival… I'm not even sure I understand it all. I'm not even sure I know what you are."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. She seemed to realize the situation and jumped away quickly.

"This is another thing I shouldn't have said aloud, I guess. Sorry?"

He dragged her back to the water to plunge her burning hand.

"First, will you stop apologizing? It's quite…annoying. Our kind do not apologize. It means nothing to us. What I am… What we are. Kaijū…Guardians… Royalty. Gods. Evolving Souls of unequal intensity… Sparks… of the purest form of raw energy in the universe. Everything around me is feeding me currently from the sunlight warming the earth beneath my feet, to the water running down my back. It's just an endless cycle. No sources though are as satisfying for us as a potent soul. On a mystical level, we are Transient souls with the blood of the oldest demons running through our veins… On a scientific level, we are hybrid, we adapt, we morph bearing different faces and different names."

"You can change faces…"

And he did in the blink of an eye, he looked like a Vasto Lorde, then a basic hollow, then again a shinigami. He morphed back effortless.

"These are all features worthy of the greatest predator in all planes of existence. We're on top of every food chain. We feel things like the motion of the universe around us or the tearing sensation of time passing by… We feel tensions in space and time… We feel bonds between distant souls. We feel death and all the stages of life from a reasonable distance. We are neither here, nor there. We are pushing the wheel… pushing the cycle."

"You don't carry a zanpakutō, I see?"

"Wrong. You were just leaning against it."

She opened her eyes as in shock.

"My zanpakutō is not a weapon. The technology was invented by your peers. We use the technology for... safekeeping."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like a cane. Believe me. You don't wanna know. It allows us to mingle with people like you. But you understand that it would be impossible for one of us to live in lower levels."

"What if you decide you prefer Soul Society or the world of the living and you move there!"

He said nothing, simply contemplating.

"I don't wanna know, right?"

As if she hadn't interrupted, he went on.

"We cannot age like you. Definitely cannot die like you. At the time when there were only two gods, one pure and one dark, I was still an unborn part of my father. There's not a lot of us left. We pushed the cycle and maintain the balance. We guard Mother. That's our role. That's my father's duty."

"Without you, the whole system will collapse."

Again he said nothing.

"I'm surprised you're telling me all this. Since it's not in your nature to be so benevolent, am I supposed to understand there is a deeper meaning to this confession?"

He smirked at last. She was sharp.

"I want you to have a fighting chance."

"So I can protect her Majesty."

He said nothing.

His faint smile faded. The ground started shaking under his feet as he stood up slowly. She took an involuntary step back. Flying seemingly from out of nowhere, pieces of his samurai armor reattach itself to his body, bit by bit. The last piece was a bronze mask that concealed his entire face. He finally turned to look at her, the sun disappearing behind the mountains at the same time. His helmet was surmounted by the horns of a Balrog. He gloriously took her breath away, swallowing everything in a tornado of reiatsu. The thing she took for a monument behind her disappearance. There it was again and he was holding it. Kirio couldn't move, the gravity affecting her too greatly. She only tried to protect her face, standing there.

" So, you want to quit?" He looked at her, with one incandescent iris, the other dark.

"I never said that…" She stuttered.

"I should warn you, I do not have much patience for a quitter. I don't have the patience for what doesn't make my job easier."

"I never said I wanted to quit."

"Or liars…" He whispered. She was taken aback because he suddenly seemed disappointed with her.

He walked toward her slowly and stopped abruptly, staring at her from head to toe, waiting for her confession. She didn't disappoint.

"I sometimes wondered what I can carry to the table around here… I'm not special… I am not an inventor… I'm not a genius. I don't have a special technique. I'm not as powerful as you guys. You all have something to do. Me, I'm just babysitting an almost empty castle. So, I don't know… I am thinking I may request… when it's my turn… I could…ask for a bit of latitude. I could retire. Master Tadashi did…"

" You are quite a unique soul. I don't understand you." He said honestly, staring at her intently.

"It should be my line. You are all out of my leagues and… Don't you wish sometimes that things were different and you were different?!"

"No." He said before walking away, his hand behind his back.

"Wouldn't you spend more time with your daughter if you could?"

He turned and paused. She could feel blood suffusing her cheeks, pink.

"No."

"With your wife?"

"No. Izayoi tends to nag. She can also be clingy. Try spending a day with her, I challenge you."

"So, you're just happy with all of this?"

He walked toward her again. She just realized she might have been poking a bear and that may not have been the best way to tackle that issue.

"I'm…"

His eyes narrowed impatiently. Whatever she had to say, she better make this quick.

"I'm convinced you're not being honest, Reiichi, not on that matter."

He blinked twice and his face relaxed into a grin under his mask, not that she could see it. It wasn't what he expected.

"I don't know if I want to kill you or spend more time with you out of curiosity. Surely there are other nonsense that may come out of that mouth and surprise me. Right now though, I'm thinking of what it will take to replace you."

"What?"

"You are definitely unique. Bright. Brave. But a touch too naïve for your own good. To be standing there, telling me of all people how I should think or what I should say. You have quite the fiery soul, little phoenix."

She was crying now, uncontrollably. He was witnessing all her emotions with a certain distance. It almost seemed to amuse him.

"What if you could change one event in your life? Just one! Wouldn't you ask him?"

He paused and turned toward her again.

"You misunderstand, Kirio. What you're searching for is something that doesn't exist. It is gone like my sister never to come back. Although I am not bound to mortality like you. I can never believe that tomorrow could not come. My people and me, we were walking all these planes of existence longer than you can imagine. I am not a simple soul with that unique perspective. Me. I am Irreversible. All that I am, he made it so. My siblings and I were not born out of need or want from our parents like you. There was none of what you call love "downstairs". We were not cherished or nurtured in the womb. We were the result of his communion with Mother. We were the results of a reaction. We were born as a part of him he wanted to part with. I am the wrath that consumed him. My sister was the heart he no longer needed. My brother was the greed he was scared to live with. We are because of him. Things happened according to his will. You cannot think you will escape your fate. He has already seen all your ends and all your beginnings. I, myself, is barely trying to counter him as efficiently as I could in a game of chess I know I will lose. I'm just here to preserve this world as it is for as long as it takes. My sister was quite a unique soul like you, better than you in fact. She thought, like you that she could escape his reach… That she could paint and draw her own reality and now she paid the ultimate price. Some of you try to bargain with my father thinking he will keep his hand of that deal, he never does."He finished in a whisper.

"I'm sure the King..."

"Kirio, this place... Those people... you... You mean nothing to him. You're just his pet creation he keeps in his personal pantry. His biggest wish is to destroy this place because a long time ago he realized he could never really control any of you people. He wanted to start from scratch. She was no longer there and there was no longer anyone to reason with him. I had to stand and try. " 

Kirio frowned in confusion.

"You didn't say what happened? With your sister?"

"Again… With the wrong questions, Kirio… Death does not matter to us. Every living thing, things you enjoy, things you fear, things that lived and died for you, or with you, has already died once or a millionth time already. That is what we call the Cycle. We, Kaijū people, old demons, gods, ascending angels, whatever you call us in prayers, we oversee it all. Being erased from existence is the worst that could happen to a soul… Kaijū[2] or not. Try to remember that before you submit your resignation… Be careful what you wish for, Kirio. In case there was any ambiguity, that was me, being kind."

He said before vanishing into thin air.

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] In the Kingdom of Heaven
> 
> [2] Strange Beast
> 
> \-------------  
> Next Chapter= The King's Men


	39. The King's Men

* * *

**Reigo**

Also known as Ego Urahara

5th member of the Zero Squad

Master of Science

He was a doctor of sciences who knew his job was not to find a cure to heal the system. He was only here to pose diagnostics.

* * *

Red light casting on his distinctively white hair a strange crimson hue, Ego Urahara tapped quickly on the golden keyboard of a Kaikoroku 3000. Sometimes he would adjust his rimless glasses on his straight nose. Sometimes, he'd twirled a pen between his fingers nervously. Sometimes, he'd play with the stool he was leaning on. There were a hundred screens mounted on the walls before him, each screen showing footage of events happening on the different planes of existence, like the battle in Karakura or the incursion of hollows in the Seireitei. Rewinding over and over, he was studying all of them carefully, having memorized every sequence down to the most insignificant detail. All the material had been extracted from the Gotei's database, for the most part, the rest was from his colleague Reisan's watchtower. He had hours and hours of tape to study. Meaning, he didn't have much time left to do so if he wanted to get to his first conclusions before the meeting in the Red Chamber.

Mind you, Ego had no interest in knowing why they were fighting. The reason was inconsequential; the zero squad never meddle in "petty mortals" affairs as their first rule. That was the Gotei's job. So, the reason this fight concerns him, among other events Kaikoroku managed to isolate, was because it had a profound impact on the architecture of the seven dimensions this past week. We're talking creations of vortexes and doors. We're talking about major earthquakes and fluctuations in the reality engine. We're talking about trouble for him in a nutshell.

See, in the grand scheme of things, it was all clear to him that there were people downstairs, coming and going, living their simple life, small puppets living and dying in a neat cycle, and there was the king above in charge of maintaining and micromanaging the lives of those dolls. And in the middle, there was the Zero squad, the mighty people in charge of taking care of the king, The people that make sure that for whatever reason the king was able to do his actual job. They couldn't care less somebody like Aizen wanted to take his place. He personally had nothing against Aizen Sousuke. He appreciated a man with ambition. He had been a dreamer too, at some point. But unfortunately, it was never about politics here. It was never Election day around here.

The thing writing codes and drawing the universe a farting asshole, basically making all the rules, was called the Spirit God, or the Queen Mother. It took the form of a precious gem with a unique shine, a fine piece of jewelry, with a stubborn mind of its own, that just happened to be the most potent source of creation in the Universe. Nobody knew where it came from and how two brothers came to own it. Who came first the gem or its wielders? How it all started was a total mystery. Of course, there were a couple of theories out there, even if all those theories were more myths and legends than factual truths. Ego had decided more than a thousand years ago, that it wasn't a subject of research worth investing energy in. The King himself didn't remember. The royal family kept no archives from that time. Finally, the only thing that matters was that only a few people till now had been able to harness the "Spirit God" power into doing what it was supposed to do, keeping together this goddamn universe. So, basically, you needed a powerful Kaiju to maintain the system. That was a given. No tiny mighty mortal soul could ever hold that thing... Now that the eldest brother was out of commission for good. They only had the King. He was the lynchpin. Ego didn't think the king's 'sons' were even deluded enough to think they could take over. Sure, that girl didn't. She was the smartest of the bunch, this one.

Now the King held onto so much power that in some ways he was rendered fragile by it, totally corrupted and blinded by it. This was the reality of their work. This world had always been on the verge of collapsing on itself. That went with the nature of life itself. This world likes to birth chaos and destruction from nothing, so the zero squad was always a little prepared for the shit to hit the fan. However, this time was different.

A couple of days ago, something happened. Their universe had started writing itself based on one new code, an undecipherable code... He called that a code but in truth, it was much more complicated than that. It was all too complex to be explained in casual sentences. For the simple sake of explaining, he will call it a code, a simple line of engineering code that had nothing to be there and that was inevitably expanding. It wasn't coming from the king. And because for the first time in ages, it wasn't coming from the king, Kaikoroku triggered the Red Protocol, summoning all the Zero squad Members to the palace. And Ego never had more than half a night of sleep since. This code was expanding, fracturing their reality little by little. Last time that happened, the brothers were fighting over the Spirit God, and it started the war between the two kingdoms. It grew into a giant pile of mess. A lot of souls died and went wasted. Dimensions collapsed. So, forgive him for being a little anxious about this.

He sat back on his stool with a sigh and rewound the tapes. There must have been something he wasn't seeing. Yet, he reviewed fourth time the levels of spiritual energy in Gamma Gosei happening both in the real world and in the Seireitei... They were surprisingly high rates for captains and lieutenants of the Gotei, but at the same time, not that surprising, nothing able to tear at the fabric of "planes of existence." He switched on Gin escaping the towers of regret. Well, it's not like the Gotei was what it was used to anyway, not with that ex-captain using "Asshuku kaijo," a demonic technique of the highest level, which allows the user to outsource and extract reishi from his immediate environnement. That guy, who Enkeikuroryu his butt in his inner world while stuck in the Senzaikyu, according to the database just days before, even snatched a couple of souls on his way out of jail like it was perfectly normal. Insane. It was insane, but at the same time, it was not that insane for him. Did that even make sense? Ichimaru Gin. "One man Silver" What a quaint name! Not much was known on that guy, apart from him having lived in Inuzuri, Rukongai at some point. Collecting images of the area, he paused on the picture of a lost stone monument covered with moss and ivy. He had been revered like a God there. He was a rather fine prospect. He was definitely what he would call an anomaly.

He looked at the expanding fluorescent code, snatched it from the screen with two fingers, and compared it with Gin's unique, flamboyant signature, another line of indecipherable code. Kaikoroku biped twice. It was incompatible. He wasn't the source. Brushing his wrinkly face, he frowned. He got back to the fight in Karakura. He must have missed something. He pulled on Keikosuki Ichinose's file again. He tried the same. Still incompatible.

The lights continued blinking. He was all too aware that people shared a few misconceptions about this place. Heaven was not a resting place. Yes, some of them, the lucky one, did rest on occasions. If you wanted Ego's opinion, the distribution of tasks was completely unfair around here. It was all nepotism and favoritism. His mind had never known rest in a millennium. He was constantly doing research, trying to better the system, or trying to find a cure to the decay of souls. He hadn't made it very far. Every soul...from mortals to Kaiju were bound to rot. It was embedded in the code as a fundamental rule. He blinked. Something was happening.

He thought he saw a shadow moving on the shore of the Onose River. He blinked twice. Rewind. It may have been just a simple glitch. He zoomed again. Yoruichi Shihouin was fighting above. That's when he saw it again — the glitch. Someone was standing over a body. Two melting silhouette fusing with the background. They were using Gōsuto seiza"Ghost Constellation" Shunpo technique. It was an expert level of shunpo where a user could completely fade with their background and become invisible. He zoomed again and again until he realized...The only face that appears albeit fleetingly was... Kuchiki Byakuya's before he disappeared again. Was it a glitch? Pause. Rewind. Kuchiki Byakuya was talking to someone. Someone else was using Gōsuto Seiza. Someone uncommonly strong and badass... Tilting his head on the right, he adjusted his binocle on his nose. Something was crawling on the shore. He blinked twice. What was that again? Did someone tamper the recording? No. Impossible. He checked again. The recording was fine. It was the reality engine. Someone messed up the ...reality engine. Impossible. Rewind again. Pause. He had just noticed it. He zoomed all he could on the blurry spot. Nothing. He was sure that something was happening on the shore while the shinigami and the lower hybrids fought on the bridge. Rewind before Byakuya before the shadow... He focused on the waves retiring from the bed in the river. He timed the retreat of the waves. Pause. For a fraction of a nanosecond, invisible to the naked eyes, he saw the waves retiring unnaturally in the wrong direction. Fuck. For a fraction of the second, he saw the fracture in the reality engine, everything turned critically red.

There it was. Something was emitting massive amounts of Gamma Gosei. It was lighting this place on fire. That being...knew about it. It was corrupting the entire area. It was like a leak of gas in the middle of a room full of lit candles. It was bound to trigger cataclysmic results. He opened his eyes again wide. Ulquiorra Schiffer released a Cero Oscuras. Rukia unleashed the third dance of a zanpakuto. Keikosuki Ichinose unleashed her Shikai. Byakuya used his Bankai's attack, Hakuteiken. It was like watching dominoes fall swiftly one by one, morbidly fascinating and Ego was glued to the screen. What's with all that reiatsu? What's with these people? He shifted in-camera thermic mod. He looked at the data the machine was gathering; the numbers were off-the-charts. What was happening downstairs?

The door opened slightly behind him, and a black man dressed lavishly in an extremely tight black bodysuit and brown cape entered the room. He stood there striking a pose like he was expecting to have his portrait taken at any time.

"Look, who decided to join us today?" Ego muttered.

"Yo! Already on the bridge working? That's so like you!"

Ego shrugged and mumbled something else, still very much engrossed in what he was looking at. He turned briefly to greet his colleague.

"Some of us never left the bridge."

The man paused his hands on his hips. Furuichi Shihouin was born with the swag of a king he knew.

"Don't tell me I'm early? I hate being early. Someone will think I'm sucking up and submitting to authority..."

"Meanwhile you're a rebel..."

"Perfectly. I'm going back to bed."

Ego finally blinked away from the screen and stared at his colleague bemused.

" You haven't changed a bit. You look the same."

Furuichi paused on his way out, looking over his shoulder.

"You have grown old."

"Is it glamour? The thing you're doing to your face? Is it one of your artifacts?"

"Nope, I am on this new diet, it's call "let me have your mother". You should definitely give it a try.

"Mother is dead. Working from time to time will not kill you, Reinana. It will certainly add a few winkle to your air debonair but won't hurt with the ladies I'm sure."

"Oh! Man! Reigo, Don't call me that like I have no identity! Let us not call ourselves by our boring moniker! I was born with a name and I intend to use it till the day I die! And Like hell, I just woke up to someone still trying to fuck up our good days. What else is new? Someone still believes it's our job to care! Big Surprise there too! Did you even find a cure to death?"

"If you stop scratching your balls for once and help me, maybe I'd stand a chance to."

"Go fuck yourself."

They stared at each other.

"In a nice way..."

Both men hugged each other warmly, patting each other's back.

"God, I miss you, you foul-mouthed loser!"

"I miss you too, you retarded asshole!"

"I just found something insane, Furuichi!"

"Is it your fucking science? I don't get it! I will never get it! I don't want to get it! This world is all about magic and demons using magic..."

"Shut up and look. Don't you see?"

He put the graph results under his nose with insistence.

"What's with those curves?"

"I'm telling you… Insane."

"Where did you collect this insane data?"

"That's where it gets interesting."

"Karakura." Furuichi read aloud. "Nope, can't be. I mean, is it again one of the boys? Kids, these days!"

"Nope. They were asleep when it happened."

" Then, I'm not touching this!"

"I'm telling you this is real."

"It must be a glitch. "

"Furuichi…"

"There was not enough paper... maybe. Is this machine of yours even calibrated correctly? It's been a couple of centuries with barely any maintenance… We can't be so sure… "

"Stop joking…"

"I'm just skeptic. That's a lot of Gamma Gosei. I mean, that's a lot of raw power and shit for such a modest little neighborhood… It's not like the place is even on a proper map."

"Not so little, did you know Tadashi sent his girl there?"

"What?"

"Well, he didn't actually sent her there technically? Yama-jii did. One of them is a captain. His girls, I mean."

"Which one..."

"You're gonna love this. The clearly disabled one."

Furuichi shook his head disapprovingly. He swallowed hard and averted Ego's gaze.

"I thought she was dead."

Ego shrugged.

"Well, she is quite lively here as you can see. "

"It's kind of suspicious. But then again, you got your anomaly. She is it. Remember last time? Poor kid! We almost had to end her..."

" That's where it gets intense. She is not the source. Yet, Reiroku got a lot of explaining to do…"

Ego trailed off as he realized something.

"Actually I haven't heard from him in a while. That's odd. "

"After that incident, he was never quite the same. Poor old man!"

They both reflected in silence. Furuichi was finally the first to speak again, changing the subject.

"It must have been a false alarm. A false positive is what you used to call it? We had a hundred of those before."

Scratching his head, the man with grey hair pushed his stool away from the screen and crossed his arms.

"Yup, but none of the previous alerts woke that guy up? So, we must assume it's something big. Furuichi, I found something..."

Furuichi turned and they share a long look.

"Something you're afraid to say..."

" I believe there's a glitch in the reality engine."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like a ghost. A ghost in the machine. There is something there, not supposed to be there, seemingly invisible to us."

"You're joking."

Ego turned to him with a frown. He didn't have much of a sense of humor to begin with.

"You're not joking. You never joke. Tell me my daughter is not involved, please."

Ego switched to Yoruichi fighting an Espada. Furuichi slapped his brow, extremely annoyed.

"She is involved. She is involved in some way. She is defending something. I don't know exactly to which extent. But the reality engine has been tampered with. It's like something tried to go under our radar specifically."

"Why is she even fighting? Ego, didn't the Gotei 13 deal with that Aizen guy?"

Ego shrugged.

"He was transferred in Muken a couple of weeks ago. The rest, I don't really care about."

"The hōgyoku?"

"It's been transferred with him. It's fused with him. It's Kakira's business now."

Furuichi shrugged.

"Is that child ready to take on such a task? I mean, the guy swallowed an hōgyoku."

Ego shrugged again.

"Not in my hands. Not my choice."

"See, I don't like this. I sense... I sense a headache."

"Told you, people, to wake up and deal with that guy. I even told you we could get rid of that artificial clone of mine in the meantime."

"Well, there was no deployment orders. Do you remember? Our bosses were taking a nap. I don't condone anything Kisuke does. But I trust Yoruichi and she trusts him."

"Yes, you said when I message you that Yoruichi will take care of it."

"Well, Yoruichi kinda did take care of it. Kisuke probably helped. It's not perfect, but it is what it is."

" You just said…"

"I mean, it's my child. What can I say? She would mess up I would still cover for a failure. Isn't that my fatherly duty?"

"You realize we're talking about things that actually go beyond family affairs, something you and almost everybody else seemed to put aside."

"You asked me first. Isn't it all about family? Why Reiroku's allowed to be protective with his and not me? You should be proud too. Kisuke did it."

"That sloppy good-for-nothing arrogant asshole is not my family!"

"That's not what I was getting at. Can't you be supportive for once!"

"Look at that chart again and tell me there is something to be supportive about. These guys will destroy the town if they continue going at it this way, and we won't find our leak anytime soon."

"I don't think it's that bad."

"She's got inhibitors… this one… Oh! And look at that."

Ego showed him a screenshot of Ichimaru annihilating a whole Garrison.

"Fuck, who's that guy?"

"Meet Ichimaru Gin. Ex-captain of the third division. Aizen's boy wonder. His right-hand man."

"That may explain why he is that strong. You believed he was experimented on?"

Gin opened his mouth and swallowed a bunch of particles. Furuichi almost chokes on his tongue.

"Did that just happened?"

Ego smiled crookedly.

"And the reality engine, you say?"

He nodded again.

"Yup, screwed... totally screwed, we're screwed. It's not even the worse."

"What's worse, then?"

"I don't know yet, but it's about to hit us like a storm, my friend."

The alarm started screeching again, startling them both. They stared at each other with concern, Ego mouthing a smug "I told you so."

"Uh! Oh!"

They both took turns staring at a screen in the center than at each other.

"Did you just see what I see? Now tell me again that it's a false positive. It's a delayed encrypted file but it's legit. Meaning that happened."

"Impossible. He is… He was the strongest of us. "

On the central screen, the last moments of Tadashi Ichinose before his secret office blew up replay over and over.

"Does he know?"

"Does he know what?" A deep baritone voice sounded behind them.

They turned to face Reiichi. They looked at each other nervously, eyes wide.

"Hi, Boss, is that you? You've been here how long?"

"Enough, what should I know?"

"It's Reiroku. He's… gone."

"Gone?"

"Yup. Gone. Gone. Dead."

"What do you mean, Dead? Where did that idiot go when I need everyone on deck?"

They looked at each other again.

"His soul marker has disappeared from all radars. He committed suicide and he is gone. What's happening downstairs exactly, Reiichi? Do you have an idea?"

They were expecting anger, but they were surprised to see Reiichi not even blinking. He slowly stepped toward them and silently stared at the screen with an unaffected air. He simply tilted his head. He was stunned. He was seldom surprised at anything these days.

"Huh?"

"Reiichi…"

The leader said nothing.

"You believe this is real? This guy was the best of us… I mean us... He is the oldest. Part of the old Guard. Yes...yes, he acted crazy and belligerent as of late. Still, he would never… do something like that. Must be a glitch…"Furuichi stuttered.

"In the reality engine." Ego went on.

"A lot of those these days…" Ego and Furuichi said, unsure.

It's like they were expecting Reiichi to confirm or deny what happened, but he could do neither.

"We need to start the conclave. Red Chamber. Now."

He disappeared immediately into thin air. Ego and Furuichi stared at each other worriedly.

* * *

**Jūshirō Ukitake**

Captain of the 13th division

Children's books bestseller writer

When you lived for as long as he had, you were bound to build a well of sins. Something you buried deep in the darkest part of your soul, away from the rest of the world, so you could conceal what was happening behind that smile.

* * *

Ukitake stared at Rukia's lying on her bed, still in a medically induced coma. He spent the last hour watching her sleep. Her health was improving, no doubt. Doctors were optimist; she will get the use of her hand back in a couple of months or so.

He watched the fight feed earlier with Byakuya on the screen of the conference room. While they both didn't exchange a word after that, he knew Byakuya noticed it also, the fact that Rukia had grown in such a short time way stronger than anyone had envisioned.

She was way ahead on her schedule, using high-level kido, unleashing point-blank attacks, blasting her hand, and rising to the challenge anyway. At some point, she just stopped a blast of cero with one hand. They all did exceptionally well. So, why was he so worried nonetheless?

He knew something else, something Byakuya probably didn't know, didn't even suspect, something he learned from the Commander himself when he was called in for an "aparté." They all fought with their limiters still on. What did it all mean? It means that his fourth seat annihilated an Arrancar much higher than Aaronniero's level with her limiter still on. Byakuya also fought with his limiter still on. Shane… Momo… They all did — the reason why it was still on. The reason was probably that Yamamoto wanted to test them.

Correction. He probably wanted to test just one of them. Maybe he had plans for Byakuya, Ukitake mused. When he heard a laugh coming from the garden, Jūshirō looked at the window as Momo Hinamori, and Ichinose Keikosuki crossed the yard, debating what should be on the menu tomorrow. Keikosuki said something about going all out with a thirteen-course meal since Kuchiki-taicho was hungry these days, something sophisticated but not too shallow, filling but refined. The fifth squad captain thought they would all benefit from stuffing their faces with food, watching the sunset in the garden. Momo didn't look enchanted with the idea. She reminded her captain they were at war still, and for that reason, they probably should use their time wisely and absorbed practical meal. Needless to say, Keikosuki wasn't happy and she said she never heard such heresy. Jushiro stared at Ichinose longer. She was glowing, her skin, her smile. It was as if she hadn't been in that fight. It contrasted so much with the ugly injuries he witnessed on the rest of them. Jūshirō frowned.

No.

It had been under his nose all this time.

He wasn't testing them. He was testing her. Not Byakuya. Yamamoto didn't allow Sasakibe to lift the limiters to test the limits of Ichinose Keikosuki?

No, that couldn't be it. He suddenly stepped away from the window and turned to face the result of that decision. Rukia was the ugly testament of what that choice meant. Ukitake frowned deep.

_"_ _I know what you did, Ukitake."_

_Ukitake stopped dead in his tracks and turned to his lieutenant._

_"_ _I expected you'd tell me yourself one day, but you never did. "_

_There were several things he should have told Kaien beforehand, but somehow, he knew just exactly what he was referring to. It sent a chill down his spine. He was surprised at Kaien's quiet demeanor and how unsettling it was to him._

_"_ _I…" Jūshirō hesitated._

_"_ _I don't want your charity."_

_"_ _I never…"_

_"_ _You, recommending me for that captaincy is not right."_

_"_ _Kaien, I understand…"_

_"_ _No, you don't."_

_"_ _You are the perfect candidate."_

_"_ _I've worked hard for all I have. We, Shibas, we worked hard, unlike any other Noble houses. We had a purpose."_

_It wasn't lost on Ukitake, Kaien chooses to remind him of his name._

_"_ _I didn't… I haven't… You have to understand…"_

_"_ _It's not that I don't understand. I understand. I am your lieutenant, and I've come to know you really well, Jūshirō. I know you did all this because you thought Soul Society was in danger. You did this, thinking it was all you could do to avoid a disaster. You thought about the casualties when you did this. You outweigh the pros and the cons. You didn't just do it. It wasn't just a mistake. You did think about me. I could easily forgive you…"_

_"_ _Kaien…"_

_"_ _But I was just not important enough for the truth… So… you just went ahead…"_

_"_ _You're wrong. You're so wrong about that."_

_Jūshirō's eyes were gleaming with unshed tears. He stood straight._

_"_ _You're wrong. Listen, I thought about everything, but I didn't allow myself to think about you. I couldn't. I am sorry, Kaien."_

_"_ _I don't want your pity."_

_"_ _That's not what I'm offering. You also know I wouldn't recommend you if I didn't believe you were able."_

_"_ _I said I don't want your pity. You're my captain, and I swear to fight for you till the day I die. We, Shibas, we never go back on a promise."_

_"_ _I had to do it. The rules…"_

_"_ _I don't care about your rules. I don't care! You should have told me."_

_"_ _Kaien…"_

_"_ _My father committed Seppuku after he watched helplessly my mother take her own life. They wouldn't live with such dishonor. Our house was taken. Our title stripped. Our name was sullied because that guy selfishly chose that life. I know very well who's to blame for that. Yet…"_

_"_ _Kaien…"_

_"_ _Because of what you did, I lost you too. You are my captain. I admire you. I lost that. I cannot forgive you. I cannot get over this loss."_

_He took a step forward._

_"_ _You know I won't ever make it easy for you. I won't ever ask for a transfer. I don't want to be a captain. Let that kid, that genius, do it! I will never be like him. He doesn't deserve I fill his shoes for him. No, I will continue to be the best I can be by your side. I want you to look at my face every day knowing what you did, Jūshirō. I will live, will work hard and will laugh again. We will get along just like we always did. But it won't ever be the same."_

_Jūshirō nodded slowly, just standing there. Kaien finally crossed paths with him. They stood side by side, almost shoulder to shoulder, each staring in a different direction._

_Ukitake didn't know what to say._

_"_ _We got a new recruit. I was coming to tell you… She is Kuchiki Byakuya's adopted sister. He asked that we keep an eye on her."_

_"_ _She won't get any free pass with me; if she's not good enough, she will have to go back to her castle."_

_"_ _Kaien…"_

_"_ _Yeah…"_

_He remained silent._

_"_ _No, that will be all."_

_He didn't say what he meant to say._

_"_ _I was trying to stop a prophecy from… stop a war."_

_He didn't find enough energy to defend himself._

"Jūshirō, you're here?"

Ukitake came out of his reverie.

"I didn't expect to find you here."

Retsu said as she closed the door of Rukia's room behind her.

"Byakuya didn't tell you I was here?"

"He may have tried to say something, but I was so worried about him standing there, I may have insisted a little too strongly that he got back to his bed. Children."

His lips twitched into a smile. He imagined the kind of persuasion she must have used.

"We spent a critical number of hours on his lieutenant and him. I don't want it all to be for nothing."

"And Rukia…"

Jūshirō turned to Rukia, who was lying still in her bed. Retsu quickly examined Rukia's charts.

" She is going to be fine but you already knew that."

He simply smiled softly. Retsu frowned immediately.

"Why are you here?"

When he said nothing, she acquired the certitude that indeed something was totally wrong with him. He opened the door again, and she took it as a cue. She followed him quietly in the hallway, her hands behind her back.

"I heard by Sasakibe that the council was quite lively. But I wasn't expecting this kind of mood… Especially from you… You're always the optimist one."

His arm snaked uninvited around her waist as he ushered her in the closest empty room. He immediately let go and stood by the windows, turning his back on her.

" Ichinose's father had died." He whispered.

She raised an eyebrow, and there was a sudden chill in the room. He faced her at last. She was suddenly staring at the ground; her face plunged into darkness.

"I understand he was your friend."

She stared ahead silently. It was like she was a thousand miles away, maybe a thousand years back.

"Are you sure?" She said her voice unusually cold, deep, lethal.

"Yes, his death was witnessed by one of his daughters. He seemed to have committed suicide."

She snickered sardonically.

"Is this a sick joke?!"

She roared before she could stop herself, her hands on her mouth. She turned and howled in pain before she stood again.

"It cannot be true."

"Retsu…"

She stood up again, breathing deeply, her face back to its neutral expression. She stood up still as if nothing happened.

"I am sorry…Forgive me. It is quite unbelievable news. I wasn't expecting this, among other things."

"It must be difficult to conceive."

"He was the most determined among us with such an appetite for living. He loved living."

"Retsu…"

" It was a long time ago. We were young. We thought we were going to make a difference and change the world."

"You did…"

"At what price…"

"You did…"

"Not for the better…"

"That's not true. You slayed... a God."

"We did."

He shrugged. A tense silence ensued. The colors returned to her cheeks, and she nodded amiably. She smiled.

"The captain obviously wants to keep Keikosuki in the dark. So, he sends you, you the specialist of keeping things in the dark, I see."

He knew she didn't mean it that way, but it was like a slap on his face or a cold bucket of ice water, maybe.

"I follow orders. His orders."

"Yes, you do. Ukitake… That is only right. That is only natural. That is what we promised to do."

" I did what I had to do. I always do. Kaien understood it had nothing to do with him."

"We're not talking about Kaien."

"We're not talking about what happened more than a thousand years ago."

"He was your vice-captain. Of course, he understood."

"It was your duty. You did what was not possible."

She took a step back. Ukitake circled her slowly.

"I taught him everything I knew just like he taught me everything he knew. Kaien. He taught me so much."

"He cared about you very much."

"There are days I doubt that was the case at the end to tell you the truth."

"Yes, it was, and you should free yourself of the guilt."

" I watched him die."

" He was already dying without his wife. Without the only family, he had left. Rukia even tried to save him."

"No, no, I killed him. I was the one who told on his beloved brother. I was the reason why the Shiba fell from grace. All of it seems to bite me in the face now and this whole thing with Ichigo… With Gin… With everyone… It's getting out of hand, Retsu."

"Ichigo… You confirmed his identity."

Jūshirō shook his head.

" You told him?"

"The father practically told on himself when he reappeared during the last war. But as if that was not enough a problem, the captain and the others, they believed Gin is part of the 1%."

She sneered. Oh, that still wasn't another joke?!

"You saw what happen when we tried to revive him. He is not an ordinary soul. He is one of them, of course."

She shrugged.

"I don't know what I saw."

"I didn't peg you for a coward."

"Careful, Jushiro." She said coldly.

"Retsu, you better than anyone knows what that means."

"No, I don't…"

"Byakuya should have died. The angels will rise in flocks. It will start and end with the fall of one of them. The rebellion will start where the earth meets the sky. It will start with evil freed into the world..."

She shook her head.

"I'm not going with you there. I'm not chasing mermaids with you!"

"Retsu! It's the last lines of the Hojō book they took. "

"Back then, this land was populated with demons and monsters. People, Innocent dead souls, feared for their lives daily, not knowing what will become of them at the end of the day. We thought we were gonna change the world. Yamamoto… Ichinose… We thought life would be simpler if we just had one king…" She whispered.

"It seemed so unfair at that time. So much suffering…We killed a king, so there was only one kingdom left. We thought we had a wise king… We thought it'd be for the best…"

"But they are monsters who do not look like monsters, I know. You... taught me that."

She nodded with a sly grin.

" He won't stand for a rebellion. You know he won't. It will be up to his loyal soldiers to quench it."

" Gin is at least 700 old and decidedly secretive. It's been a long time since one of them walk this earth with us, Retsu. I don't know what it means. I doubt Yamamoto really knows."

" Doesn't matter, really. So they want his strength… Well, We will have to hunt him down… That's what we do… We slay monsters, Jūshirō!"

"He is no monster! Who can be sure where the good side is anymore? Gin did it for her. He went after Aizen for her. Just like that guy! He loved her!"

"Yet, he broke the code! He knew the rules!"

"He was one of us!"

"But then he was one of them, he ascended, he made a promise and he knew the rules. They both knew. You did what was right. You didn't wish to destroy his family. You wanted to protect them. You tried to talk him out of it. Kaien knew you did everything you could… But we are the royal court's guard. An offense to the king can't be let go…"

"Do you really still believe that?"

"I know we had the best intentions…"

"The best intentions, who cares? I lost him anyway. It doesn't matter how in the end, Retsu. "

"Ukitake, it's alright to move on. That they had a good reason doesn't lessen the crime."

"You voted for his execution. Gin."

"I did…"

"Yet, you helped him when I asked you too."

"He made his bed. He should lie in it. It doesn't mean we are monsters. Just plain cold-blooded murderers. I'm sorry, Ukitake, you always want to see the good in people… The way you see them… The way you see me… It's enough of a gift already. But it's just that… Monsters are monsters…"

She smiled reassuringly.

"I haven't been down here in Karakura for decades. Knowing I made a choice back then… I almost lost another vice-captain today..."

"No one died. "

"Yet…No one died yet."

"You are too hard on yourself as usual."

"I am tired. I am really tired of this life, Retsu."

"Some days…"

"Are you always going to finish my sentence…"

"Kyouraku not being available at the moment, I will use the privilege. So, why are you so unhappy? The real reason?"

"This whole thing is like déjà vu."

"Again, why?"

"He likes her. Byakuya has a soft spot for her. Ichinose. It's all there... They all do this because of love, and why do I do this?"

"For the awesome wage…"

"Retsu…"

"We are dogs of war, you, me, and Shunsui… We've been doing this for a long time. It's not the same for them. Blood is all we know… Good for him if he can open his heart to the possibility. But we are at war. We will always be at war."

"The Sotaicho is ready to sacrifice us all. Maybe he has a good reason… He always has a good reason. Maybe all of this is for a good reason…"

"We cannot see it."

"We cannot. Doesn't mean it's not there."

He nodded with a smile. She smiled back tenderly as they faced each other.

"Can I see your scar tonight?"

She nodded slowly and started to undo her braid.

"He was such a good friend. He would cook and make us laugh. He'd make the best soup. Half of what I know he taught me. He loved life and women. Oh my! Did he love women? He was surrounded by them! They were his life! He loved his family so much! He was a good person. Damn, I wanted to fight him so much! It made my blood boil just imagining the scent of his blood on my sharp blade. I'd trade anything…"

"Retsu…Yachiru..."

She came out of her own trance, her hair concealing the left side of her face. She brushed his face softly.

"It's war, Jushiro. We must enjoy it while we can."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: The hundred years war


	40. The hundred years war

* * *

**Hitsugaya Tōshirō**

Captain of the 10th division

Young prodigy

Matsumoto put him on the road to his own destiny, and he rewarded her with death. A hundred years of rivalry to get here, really?

* * *

  


By [NellSa](https://www.deviantart.com/nellsa)

Why was he fighting?

He thought he knew.

While the valley was strangely quiet. Tōshirō thought he knew.

" _(...) I know it's a difficult decision to make."_

_Difficult was just an understatement. Tōshirō considered Genryūsai Yamamoto carefully. This wasn't just difficult, it was an impossible decision. It was the kind of choice he had to make._

_"We discussed it earlier. Matsumoto's health is degrading day after day. "_

_"Yes, but…"_

_" There is nothing more we can do, Hitsugaya-Taicho. We lost Matsumoto fukutaicho on the battlefield in the line of duty three months ago. We must cut our losses..."_

_The old man told Toshiro with finality. His tone was almost casual but firm as if he was saying some ineluctable truths, no worst as if he just enounced a generality, something written in a book, something inevitable. A quick grimace was the only sign of his embarrassment. He held his cane with both hands and looked ahead with eyes that could predict the future._

_With a nod, Sasakibe left his side to go make preparations._

_"She was a good element, and she shall receive the proper honors as a consequence. That's natural."_

_" But..."_

_That's all_ _Tōshirō_ _could say. He just couldn't fathom what was being said about his lieutenant. It couldn't be the end. He_ _swallowed hard, noticing for the first time Sasakibe's absence. They were really alone in this room. What was asked of him… That was still too much._

_"Sotaicho, you realize what you're asking me."_

_"The situation is critical. I would not have discussed it with you if I did not believe you were the only one suitable for this task."_

_Tōshirō lowered his head, nodding meekly._

_"It's the best course of action. From a strategic point of view, it's the best course of action. I would have given orders to the second division. But not knowing how far corruption goes…"_

_Yamamoto paused with a sneer, like an afterthought._

_"Well, there is also the matter of that man clearly being out of their league."_

_"Well, Sotaicho, forgive me for even asking, but what makes you think I'm in his league."_

_" You're not as it is."_

_His quick retort was enough to startle_ _Tōshirō_ _. He frowned. It was the kind of blunt truths he could live without._

_"You don't stand much of a chance physically, it's true."_

_Yamamoto said with a shrug, shifting position in his chair. He scratched his beard absentmindedly._

_"Ichimaru always had incredible potential."_

_"Well, and it means…"_

_"That he may be one of them."_

_"One of them? You're talking in riddle. No, you're talking like Dengeki."_

_"Oh! A passionate this one. She loves a good competition. I really like her."_

_"But you said..."_

_"Something like personal opinions are not meant to be shared in casual circles. What I'm about to tell you is something most people do not have proper knowledge of. It's all for the better."_

_"Yamamoto Sotaicho..."_

_"We don't see much of them these days, so that's why I can't be too sure. When I was about your age, we used to see them all the time, they would come here, wreak havoc, then leave. That's why most people of my time thought they were gods. They were celebrated like gods here… They could do anything they wanted. People will call them Kaiju, transient Gods. It was a really long time ago."_

_"Kaiju…"_

_"Beasts, really…A species of strong hybrids wielding the oldest form of raw spirit energy. We considered them royalty because we didn't understand what they were. It is always very human to put the unknown on a pedestal. It's a mortal thing to do. But let me tell you a secret, mostly they are monsters, who could slaughter an entire village in a heartbeat. Nowadays, isn't it odd, we don't even teach children about them anymore as if they're nothing but a legend. As if the Soul king wasn't the greatest of all."_

_Toshiro frowned._

_"You think Gin is one of them."_

_"I honestly don't know. Like I told Dengeki, he never showed any signs before. Like you, he was a remarkable student: kido, hakuda, shunpo, Zanjutsu… He excelled in every area that matters. But at that time, it was his knowledge of the world that was so striking. I remembered his teachers being in awe over the way he assimilated all concepts. He would constantly try to hide his amazing progression behind a smirk. He would conceal even how powerful he truly was. I started to notice when he passed the test for captaincy, you see. He clearly wasn't giving it his all. I knew something was up with him. I was fascinated."_

_"Yet, you allowed him to join…"_

_Yamamoto shrugged, almost full of pride._

_"He was made to be captain. I'm never going back on my word. He was the whole package, just like you. So, I knew…"_

_"So you don't regret it? Closing your eyes? You don't regret it one bit?"_

_"He followed orders for years. I am actually quite proud."_

_Toshiro stared the old man down._

_"Do you know what it takes to tame a beast?"_

_"You mean to tell me you knew all along he wanted revenge, Sotaicho."_

_Yamamoto simply stood up and made a couple of steps toward the balcony. He went back to his chair after a quick pause._

_" Hitsugaya-taicho, do you know what it really takes to tame a beast?"_

_"Sotaicho… He almost beat me the last time we fought. Like you said he wasn't even trying. I can't be the one you're sending. If that guy is really who you think he is, knowing in what state of mind he is going to be, you should send an army. Damn it! You should go yourself!"_

_Yamamoto stroked his cane, his face closed. Toshiro felt blood suffusing his cheek, biting his lower lip nervously. He was a bit ashamed of having lost his temper in front of his commander. Even more so, when he was afraid, his gesture could have been assimilated with a form of cowardice. It didn't really sit well with him. He was surprised by what Yamamoto said next._

_"This is not an option. Gin Ichimaru is a snake that no prison or cage can hold. That much is clear. He is someone no army can destroy. Sure, coming in numbers could slow him down, but I'm talking about a real chimera. I know our strengths and weaknesses. In the state of chaos in which the Seireitei is, we cannot afford to make mistakes."_

_The old man slowly got up and went to his cupboards. He searched through the drawers with one hand._

_" No, you're the best course of action. We could add 50 and 200 more men in front of him, it wouldn't stop him. You know as well as I do that if Gin Ichimaru wanted out of his cell, he'd be out. The question is not whether he can ... But when ... Listen, I asked myself many times. Why had Aizen entrusted him with his plan? Gin Ichimaru does not know loyalty. Everyone knows that. That's when I realized Aizen was just like me, he knew what it takes to tame a beast."_

_"Rangiku… We don't have Rangiku anymore. You think she is dead."_

_"Imagine what he will do when he learned the love of his life had been kidnapped ? has died?"_

_"He will probably burn this place to the ground. He'd be justified. But Rangiku is not dead…not yet…"_

_"Well, in the hand of those monsters, she'd better be. When the third seat of the Fifth Division died in the hands of Gin Ichimaru fresh out of the academy, he wasn't the only casualties that night. Two unseated officers died shortly before him. They were on an unsanctioned mission at the time for vice-captain Aizen Sousuke. So, we only noted their disappearance much later... I had asked then for an investigation to be opened, but the central 46 refused my request. Maybe Aizen had something to do with it, maybe not… I just couldn't get to the bottom of it. So I conducted my own research on Gin's past. It was impossible to go back to his origins. It was impossible to know by what means he arrived in Soul Society… "_

_Yamamoto handed him a file with a wrinkled shaky hand. He stroked his beard as he walked away. Tōshirō flipped through the document quickly. He opened his eyes._

_"This is a census of all the people who met a suspicious death in Inuzuri at the time when Gin was nearby. Inuzuri has always been a dangerous neighborhood, but it seems that the death rate has never reached such a level since. But that's not the interesting part of the story… I went there and asked questions in the neighborhood about a boy with silver hair. And you know what was so interesting? Nobody would tell me about this boy without telling me first about the girl he lived with._

_"So you knew about Matsumoto long before you even ask me in front of everyone in the council room?"_

_"Knowing is in my job description, boy. Assessing what my underlings know is also part of that job. Turning knowledge into weapons is my duty as your commander."_

_"Okay… But I don't see how their love story will help in this situation."_

_"You won't defeat Ichimaru with brute force. You will defeat him by doing something he doesn't expect you to do. You will defeat him by doing something no one ever did, not Aizen, not even Matsumoto, no one."_

_"What's that?"_

_"Knowing him. Getting into his head is the key, and trust me, you're the only one who can do that!"_

_"Sotaicho…"_

_"Read on…"_

_Toshiro turned a few pages quickly. He stumbled on a drawing of a blond girl with blue eyes. Matsumoto. He read the following report with attention. The unspeakable horror that was narrated with military precision made him want to vomit._

_"Kisama! That son of a bitch!"_

_"I'm sure Aizen knew Gin was gonna come for him one day. But I'm unsure he knew exactly why. You know why now. This is your weapon. This is your blade. Use it well."_

_Toshiro remained speechless for long minutes._

_" I don't need to tell you that this piece of information has never been and will never be disclosed again. Am I clear?"_

_" Why? Why are you telling me now?"_

_"I wanted you to know the deep motivations of Ichimaru. Only then will you succeed in defeating him. Remember, If he had to... stay alive ... You know that not even Matsumoto could live with that._

_He heard nothing more of his superior's warnings. He left the office, armed with a new mission and a new resolution._

_Kill Ichimaru Gin to save the world._

**Mind Heist – Zack Hemsey**

He thought he had a perfectly good reason for putting an end to the life of this treacherous serpent. He thought he had thousands, the hand clenching around Hyourinmaru's hilt was not shaking. His reiatsu left snow crystals in the air. He flew into the air, propelled in his tracks. Parry. Thrust. Parry. Hyourinmaru followed Gin Ichimaru, leaving him no chance at escaping its wrath. With a grim grin, Gin counter-attacked with Shinsō. The shock between the two propelled them both back. Gin leaned against rocks while Tōshirō landed on the trunk of one... two ... three ... four trees.

One after the other, the beeches fell to the ground in a deafening noise.

They started running again, neither one of them ready to yield. It was way too early for that. It was just the beginning. Gin's murderous aura manifested itself for a few seconds in the form of a belligerent snake. Halfway, Gin released Shinsō's with a swift motion of his wrist. The advantage of his zanpakutō had always been its incredible reach. He was difficult to approach. Thus, even though he was at first the aggressor, Tōshirō found himself minutes later, a victim. Zigzagging and leaning on a tree, he tried to dodge Shinsō's claws. Twice, however, the zanpakutō caught up with him, showing his flexibility and speed.

His shoulder was bleeding profusely, and a shard of a tree was embedded in his stomach. Gasping for air, Tōshirō Hitsugaya paused behind a millennium-old sequoia. A few seconds later, the time to catch his breath, the tree was sliced clean by Gin. He ducked to avoid being on the path of the fallen tree. The ground shook under their feet. He threw an arc of ice back with Hyourinmaru. Gin easily dodged. He retracted Shinsō for a split second before relaunching it in pursuit of Tōshirō. Hyourinmaru was a thin barrier of ice that the Snake pulverized without mercy. Gin Ichimaru's Zanpakutō was like his master, lethal and deceitful. He was behind Tōshirō, and before he had time to realize, Shinsō's solid blade was grazing his neck. He narrowly avoided decapitation.

It was nothing like their first duel.

The air was sizzling with electricity.

The first half-hour had just been a warm-up. They were just trying to exhaust each other to minimize the scope of their bankai in the end.

The second-hour blood had started to be spilled on both sides. A stream of blood flowed uninterrupted from Gin's left eyebrow. His nostrils began bleeding again, and he wouldn't be caught dead admitting it, but he was blind from the left side. On the other hand, Tōshirō bore traces of the snake's bite on his neck, and his left shoulder was out of commission. He discarded the shard in his stomach earlier and started healing there, that was the good news.

All in all, they both were still standing. Never mind the pain, Hyourinmaru roared before freezing everything on its path. Several ice shards, sharp like blades, moved towards Gin. Contorting quickly, he avoided the bulk of it. But several small peaks of ice pierced him here and there. Tōshirō closed his eyes. The trees remained crystallized under a thin coat of ice.

A squirt of blood sprinkled the ground. Gin slipped back, the sleeve of his shihakusho in tatters, his arm bleeding. The nightmare had no end! They were both exhausted beyond beliefs, burning through resources they no longer possess. And if it started once with Aizen Sousuke, today, they both had to end whatever this was here. Tōshirō watched Gin take a deep heavy breath before he let Shinsō go after his target again. How to avoid the impact when he was getting out of breath? He needed to use the shunpo. He disappeared to sneak behind Gin, thinking he had managed to gain an advantage.

Gin only smirked cruelly in answer. Toshiro was doomed. Gin completely misled him. Now, he was leaning back, easily folding his body like a gymnast, changing the hand that held his sword nimbly, allowing Shinsō to change direction in a heartbeat. There was no way Toshiro could avoid it in time. There was no way to avoid it. Tōshirō jumped away with all his might and landed on the one hand in the air, in an explosion of reiatsu. It was time to end this. Really end this. Flipping back, he jumped further to gain some altitude. All right, it was time to get down to business. He had gained five-tenths of a second. He raised Hyourinmaru and conjured his bankai.

"Bankai. Daiguren Hyourinmaru."

The Ice Dragon obeyed the wish of his master, raising his head with a roar before rushing into Shinsō. Gin's eyes widened. He had just lost the advantage. Particles of dirt rose vertically toward him. Black ink spilled in his blind eye. With a grunt, Tōshirō gathered all his energy in this assault. The air became toxic around them.

Daiguren Hyourinmaru quickly engulfed Shinsō and froze the endless nodachi blade to the hilt before imprisoning Gin's wrist. Gin tried to retreat, but he knew if he pulled too much on this frozen bind, there was a chance he'd lose an arm. So, he anticipated the damage. Closing his eyes as Hyourinmaru bit into him mercilessly, propelling back and forth like a rag doll, before he sent Gin hitting the slopes of the mountain. The floor vibrated again, growling low. The collision of reiatsu caused the snowy cap of Mt Miroku to collapse on itself. At full speed, the snow rolled down the slope. The avalanche took everything in its path ... The trees ... The rocks ... Gin ...

Gin had just enough time to turn his head before being buried under 80 meters of snow, the equivalent of a twenty-four story building.

For long minutes, Tōshirō scanned the mountain anxiously. He no longer felt Gin's reiatsu. Surely, it was not going to stop there. With this attack, he could not have already said goodbye to Gin Ichimaru.

Rangiku.

He slowly found his breath. A shiver ran down his neck. Rangiku ...

He won. Gin was gone. Did he really wipe out all the hopes of getting her back safe and sound? He shook his head imperceptibly. The doubt crept into him, diffusing inside like poison. Sneaky, like a thief in the night, he began to imagine all the means he could have used to prevent this from happening. She could not die like that, no. Whatever Yamamoto had said earlier, he could not have co-signed on her death so quickly. Whatever he could say about Gin, he fought for her. He was supposed to obey orders. He was supposed to ...

"What's with this expression, Tōshirō Hitsugaya? Don't tell me you missed me already."

Tōshirō froze for a moment before turning to the man who stubbornly refused to die. He did not answer. His face crossed by several furrows of blood; Gin continued in the same teasing tone.

" If that's all you have in your stomach ..."

Gin spit blood in the air before continuing.

"Now, I have to make an admission. You probably don't know it…"

The man opened his eyes for a moment.

"But I can't stand winter. I can't… It's not even the cold. It's the dull landscape. All this boring white… Although I'm done playing nice. I can't stand you! Thinking you're so special! Why did Rangiku spend her time mothering you instead of doing her goddamn job? I never understood! Last but not least, you're a weird kid! You suck in every possible way!"

" Have you finished Ichimaru?" Tōshirō retorted, unimpressed.

Gin smiled calmly.

"No ! PS: You're going to die now! Bankai Kamishininoyari!"

By [rogner5th](https://www.deviantart.com/rogner5th)

* * *

**Gin Ichimaru**

Former captain of the third division

Former Commander of the Armies of Aizen Sousuke

Ex-Prisoner of the Senzaikyū

Lover of Matsumoto Rangiku

He freed himself from everything and everyone even of the words "if, how, and maybe.", but to get rid of Rangiku he never could.

* * *

He remembered the lessons from an old master. Never fight openly. But at that moment, Gin Ichimaru was doing exactly the opposite. He was fighting in the open. He was half rendered delirious by the dramatic drop in his reiatsu. He was compensating for his blood loss by pumping in his spiritual resources. He needed to feed again. But feeding meant losing control. It was everything he despised. It's like admitting that stupid kid got one on him. So he pushed back the need deep in his stomach, gritted his teeth, and gave everything he had.

**Fallen army- GRV Music**

His blue eyes reflected the gray and black of the clouds above while the two men engaged in a fierce aerial battle. A new explosion of reiatsu pushed them away from each other. Shinsō struck hard, assaulting his enemy, splitting the air like lightning, shearing the ice. Shinsō traced imaginary lines in the sky and on earth, cutting oaks and beeches, cherry trees, in half in his path, digging a furrow, breaking the ice carpet that covered the stream. The snake cut into the earth and the air ... taking no prisoner. But Hyourinmaru was not left out. Freed from all restraint, several arches of ice appeared in the sky. The forest was covered with snow, and the cottage, a tiny black dot below, had disappeared under the remains of the avalanche. Lightning flashed in the gray sky over and over, electricity coursing in the air. Thunder rolled for a few seconds as both captains marched toward their doom.

Shinsō grazed Hitsugaya's ankle, and a stream of blood sprinkled the pillar of ice on which the boy chose to lean. The problem laid in the immense reach of their respective zanpakutō. Both men had no need to work their opponent in hand-to-hand combat. And that only postponed the final outcome of this fight indefinitely. Gin quickly wiped the net of blood that was moistening his brow bone with an already soiled hand. Gin floated away warily, observing his adversary.

By [aagito](https://www.deviantart.com/aagito)

Toshiro was also currently breathless, leaning on an ice pillar. Fuck this! He never fought against such a formidable opponent. There seems to be no end to their fight. Gin was bleeding to a pulp. Yet, he could parry, thrust, direct, and redirect his attacks. He still got enough speed to duck his most direct attacks. Every time Toshiro thought he was gonna get him, he would shunpo out of reach again or contort his body in such a way he would avoid impact. Who the fuck was he? Toshiro was scared. Hyourinmaru was almost down to its last petal. After that, it was the realm of the unknown. He tasted blood on his tongue and realized Gin had grazed his face with that fucking war machine that is Shinso. He had a gash running on his chin to his ear. He could practically hear Rangiku yelled: "That better not leave a scar, Captain!"

That's when he was reminded of Yamamoto's words.

" She barged into my house, into my life uninvited. I lived with my sick grandma back then. She had followed me from the market, and she knew. She told me I needed to go. She was always so intuitive, so wise as if she lives a hundred lives already. She just knew what I had to do to make it better. My grandma is better. She is enjoying her days making jams that she would send to me in the tenth division. When it was time to get a new captain for the tenth division, she barged into my room at the academy. Told me I had to take it. That was my chance. When I'd get scared or nervous, she would tell me she'd always be there, and that was enough to fill me with determination. Ran, she saved me. "

Gin pretended to remain focus on his healing. This little impromptu confession allowed Toshiro to catch his breath without showing anything. Awesome! Simply amazing, this kid! He was going to rest too.

It was a shame, really a pity that things must stop here! True, until now, Gin never had anything against Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Well, what he meant by that was that he had never felt the urgent need to erase him from this plane of existence. People had always compared them because weak people had nothing to do but compare the elite. The place he occupied in Matsumoto's life had never worried Gin. He knew his girl well. Her heart was big enough to shelter a nation. He recognized the genius in Hitsugaya without ever feeling his own power questioned. Gin Ichimaru was light years away from this kid. No, Hitsugaya had never been a threat even when Aizen was ranting over and over about the fact that he had to kill the boy to weaken the shinigami ranks while waiting for Rukia Kuchiki's execution. He had never been a threat until now. Now, he was being a pain in his ass.

Today, things were different. Hitsugaya had made a mistake: that of getting in his way. No matter what the price was, he would meet Rangiku again tonight. No matter the price…

Nevertheless, right now, Gin was in trouble. He had made a tactical mistake. Although he made sure to develop his talents to excel in all subjects like a good little soldier, so he'd pass for a shinigami long enough to find a way to end Aizen's life, Shinsō's defense against long-range weapons had always left something to be desired. **Are you kidding me, master? You have exhausted our energy with trivia.** **Enkeikuryo, my ass! How could you be so dumb!** **All for a woman! All for that, bitch Haineko!** Well, true, there was that too! There were days, however, when he would willingly let his zanpakutō freeze his imaginary balls under the ice of Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Gin smirked. **Not a very nice thing to say, master! We could always eat him!** **Use…** Gin shook his head. Not that. He wouldn't give him that satisfaction. He wanted to win. He wanted his victory to be undisputable. He was stronger than that kid. He was going to show it to the world.

Looking suspiciously quiet, Tōshirō was catching his breath as well, his right ankle bleeding. Gin observed the slightest of his movements, trying to focus on stopping his blood loss.

By [Jeternity](https://www.deviantart.com/jeternity)

Shinsō was right on one point nonetheless. If he had known that he would have to fight against regiments of men, vice-captains, and captains, less than four days later, he would never have used Enkeikuroryu. It had been a miscalculation on his part. He used up a lot of energy. He almost had no strength left to maintain his bankai. **_Eat._** He couldn't. Wouldn't. His pride, something he didn't think he even had, wouldn't allow him to use an old technique. Shinsō vibrated between his fingers as if to tease him even more.

If he had to win, it was now or never.

If the snake was to bite.

It was now or never.

The image of Rangiku lying on her bed in the fourth division came back to him in an angry flash. Thinking about it, it was not a miscalculation on his part. It was the fault of the brat before him. Typically, in an almost perfect world, Hitsugaya was supposed to watch over his fucking subordinate and prevent such a thing from happening. He should have watched over Ran-chan! Gin would not have gone out to play if Rangiku had been warm where she needed to be. He opened his eyes suddenly.

A wave of reiatsu struck him. That brat was not catching his breath. The runt was busy preparing for his new attack. How?

How could he have seen nothing? Gin tried to move away from the area where he was standing a few minutes earlier when Hyourinmaru opens his mouth. Like lightning, he countered his charge by taking Shinsō with both hands.

"Butorenjin."

Butorenjin separated the sky horizontally, Kamishininoyari contracting and retracting 145 times faster than the speed of light, giving the appearance of a single wave of reiatsu as sharp as a thousand zanpakutō. The dragon roared before disintegrating, leaving behind only a cloud of steam in the sky. Controlled by the thought of his master, Shinsō resumed his original form. Meanwhile, Tōshirō took the opportunity to leave his field of vision, choosing Gin's blindspot. When had he noticed? But Gin was quick to spot him despite his disability, sensing his spiritual pressure, barely concealed behind a thick cloud of steam.

"Buto."

A new wave rushed at Tōshirō, and he countered quickly with Hyourinmaru. The boy glanced over his shoulder, quite proud of his handy work, as he escaped. Forming a mortal prison, one by one, the ice pillars rose to the sky around their victim. Gin froze and looked around him. What was this?

"You have become too careless, Ichimaru. How many times did your carelessness leave Matsumoto dead on the roadside?!" Toshiro yelled.

An image of Rangiku lying down in the middle of the road flashed in his mind. Gin's eyes widened momentarily with surprise. What did he just say?

"Watch your language, Chibi-chan!"

"You heard me! You killed her then! You were not there! She needed you!"

Gin squeezed Shinsō in one hand, wiping his face with the other.

"Do you want to die, little genius?"

" You were her protector. She believed in you. You were not there when they stole everything from her, including her innocence. They took everything. How could you let that happen?"

Gin blinked twice.

" Instead of helping her, repairing her heart, you broke her heart even more ..."

Gin stared Tōshirō down hard.

"The fuck you think you know?!"

"Every time you gave up on her! Whenever you left her unprotected! Did you think it would help her get back the pieces of the soul she's missing?"

 _Gin._ It was her voice he heard now. His hand shook on the hilt of his zanpakuto. He was fidgeting now. _Gin! Where are you going? Gin_! For the first time in his life, Gin felt the mastery of his bankai escape him.

" It's wondering if you've ever loved her ... If you've ever loved someone in your whole life ... Other than yourself… Like when you really love someone… Like what I'm about to do now… when it's killing me to obey her wishes, to do not only what's good, but to abide by her moral code, to what she believes in. She believes in her duty as a shinigami. She believes in life. She believes in helping others."

The furrows of blood multiplied on the ex-captain of the third division's face.

"I think in the end, she is better where she is. She will always be better without you. You made that true. She will at least keep what's left of her soul intact."

As if it was enough to press the button that made the monster ticked in him, Gin launched Shinsō with a roar, glowing with rage, the hybrid in him so close to the surface. Kamishininoyari in its purest form ... in its most lethal form ... The dissolved blade cracked the air at the speed of light. Hitsugaya manipulated his zanpakutō by a few degrees.

" Sennen Hyōrō."

Gin didn't even try to dodge this new attack. His gleaming eyes, his suffocating aura, he was going to slay this kid even if he died trying. It had all been a trap. Whatever one says about Tōshirō Hitsugaya, that boy was an excellent strategist! What a finish!

The ice pillars moved towards Gin Ichimaru, enveloping and crushing him. In his ice prison, Gin was still forcing against this natural barrier, fighting to get free. Shinsō only slowed down momentarily. The snake crushed ice one last time. With the strength of a thousand swords, Kamishinoyari had his last meal.

Tōshirō did not have time to understand what had happened. He looked down slowly. Shinsō had penetrated his torso, cutting through vital organs and artery included. The boy remained in shock, just like his prisoner in front of him. In a game of macabre musical chairs, from the executioner, he became the victim of his prisoner. By all means! Stop Gin Ichimaru by all means! The order had been clear! Tears blinded him suddenly.

He felt Shinsō move in his body slowly, infinitely slowly. He had a perforated lung, and it was collapsing on him. That, he knew just by listening to the annoying whistle that made his bronchi. He Tōshirō lost all color. Shinsō retracted slowly, its blade gleaming with blood. A spurt of hemoglobin came out of Toshiro like a fountain.

Gin Ichimaru was not doing better. The ice sheared his flesh, and he could not feel his right arm. Shinsō vibrated weakly in his hand. There was no way he could die there, like that… Like an animal. One could not go from Aizen, the magnificent Trickster to Hitsugaya, the prodigy. There was just an air of regression in the air. The ice contracted again, increasing the pressure, cutting off his air supply. Gin let out a sordid sneer. Well, well ... At the same time, you know this kid was something!

Gin made the mistake of thinking Toshiro was hesitant and weak. In their first fight, he had not shown so much determination. For Hinamori's honor, he may not have put so much heart. Gin was thinking...

He thought he could live with that.

He also thought he could die with this idea.

The idea that Rangiku had bound them forever.

Shinsō retracted completely. Hiding behind a cloud of mist, Tōshirō inhaled and exhaled suddenly, spitting bloody mucus in the air.

Eyes wide, face contorted by the pain, Tōshirō focused on the massive cylinder of ice. Normally, Gin Ichimaru should have already turned to dust. Being prisoner of Sennen Hyoro's hell was like being crushed in a gear of several tons. But he was still fighting against Toshiro's will. There was a drop of sweat on his forehead.

" Ichimaru. Abandon."

A nervous and distant sneer was his only answer.

"Give up. For her… It will be better for everyone."

Still, in the air, Tōshirō began to vomit again. At the same time, the two silver-haired shinigami got a bitter metallic taste of the blood on their tongue. However, Gin kept smirking, blood dripping on his chin.

" Who told you that story?"

Tōshirō took a deep breath before answering. Hands holding his left flank, he vainly tried to catch his breath.

" Is it important ?"

Gin chuckled, amused. True. That was a stupid question.

"No, indeed."

The ice gained some ground around him again. His spiritual pressure did not seem to be able to slow his progress. Gin was so exhausted. He smirked his mouth so bloody.

" You… That was sly… very sly… I was distracted. It was well... played. But I can tell you… It won't kill me, not like you think, at least... Let me tell you what happens now. I die maybe… She dies without a doubt. In my next life, I'm still gonna hunt her down… And I'm going to hunt you down…"

"Ichimaru…"

"Fuck this, if it's really all you got, Hitsugaya !"

"If you like her, you should have…"

" You want to know what I am?! Where I come from?! You are not ready, kid? What do you know of love ?"

He roared with all that was left of air.

"Do you think that what you felt for little Hinamori can even compare to my story with Rangiku, brat? It's a five hundred years old tale! Do not make me laugh! You think it's about sharing and making concessions…Kissing goodnight… Sharing bed… Being intimate… Confessing our deep darkest secrets… You think it's a story of sacrifice for the greater good? You think it's about honor and justice? Kid, you've read too many corny books. There's no greater good. It's all about selfish desires. Everyone got them. That one wish that turned into purpose. Every soul in the world clawed their way through lives like vermins. They cling to whatever just to get that one wish fulfilled. And the cycle continues over and over again. Rangiku's mine. She belongs to me. Her soul was mine from the minute I saw her! She looked like she fell from the sky just like me. She looked like an angel. She was alone, just like me. She had no one just like me. We found each other. She was my reward after so many years... She taught me how to talk. She taught me how to smile. I smile for her. That's the first thing I did. I smile for her…"

Gin paused to catch his breath.

"Her… My reward… My person…My family… And you know what they did, they took pieces of my soul with hers. Those petty thieves! Shinigami or not! Working for Aizen or not! The wound I felt then never healed! You want to know where I was when they violated what is mine, I was writhing in pain for the first time in centuries, vowing to kill whatever makes me feel that way. So you see, there's no way this will magically end the way you want it to end. There's no way it will! I don't care what you think. I don't even care what she thinks. That she loves me with the same ardor is not important at all I can tell you! It never did matter. She was made to walk this earth with me. When I had nothing, I wish her into existence, and she was there. So there's no way I will give up on what is mine… If you sentence her to death, you better kill me first ... because there is no way I can forget her. Even there is no way that I die resigned ... and obedient… I will come back eventually. I will burn this place…That's for sure… Everything you got… Everything you cherish… I will take it back from you… When I'm finished with you, I will hunt down those that made you… The ones pulling strings… I will slay them in a heartbeat… If she dies this time… You better not let her die because even your soul king won't be able to help you then! If I have to destroy this world to make sure she never has to cry anymore, in this life or in the next! I'll do it. I swear on my soul. That's my sole purpose in life. You get it now?! I never gave a fuck about you tiny people, tiny souls, wandering souls, weak souls, mortal souls going through lives as if it has meaning. As if you matter to the universe…Baits, that's all you are… Rangiku was unique. I was just so far from home. She took me home again. You wanna know who I am? The truth I don't even fucking know who I am. And it never mattered! I was just Gin for her. I am Ichimaru Gin. We were so happy. Really happy here! Do you know what that means? Love? We had nothing but each other and it was sheer perfection and he took that away from me. My Rangiku ... has been in limbo for a long time. She forgot half of our lives together. Knowing that she can forget me at any moment now, it's killing me. She can live without me ... without the Memories ... A part of her soul ... it's gone forever... But as long as I am me, I will not let this go. So what do you think you can do here? You want to make me die of boredom! If you want to kill me, It's now or never! You will not have another chance, little genius! It's just ... here..."

He did not finish his sentence, the ice gaining ground. Gin remained frozen in the heart of the icy pillar. Tōshirō looked down, hearing the ice crack and crack, his heart contracting painfully in his chest as the massive cylinder fractured like glass.

He sighed, and his feet touched the snowy ground again. Planting Hyourinmaru in the snow, Tōshirō leaned on his sword to catch his breath. He picked up Rangiku's sword. He could hardly feel it pulsing under his fingers. He gasped, blood dripping in the snow from his mouth, suddenly overwhelmed by an acrid wave of grief and disgust. In the sky, snowflakes moistened the air. He stared at the gray sky, letting his tears crystallize in the air. The pieces of the cylinder fell to the ground behind him. For a moment, he squeezed Hyourinmaru very hard, remaining on his guard. But Gin's body hit the ground with such violence that a large crater formed around him. Tōshirō did not cancel his bankai. He did not feel Gin's reiatsu anymore. But after this attack, Gin should not even have a human form anymore. He moved closer to the crater. Facedown, Gin gave no sign of life. His lips still stretched in a cruel smile, Gin Ichimaru held on his zanpakutō. Limping closer, Toshiro stood above his sword at the ready.

Eyes open to infinity, Gin navigated in between dreams and memories. Falling. He was falling.

"I bet you will chicken out, little brother?"

The tall girl simply turned to him.

"It's really high."

"So what? "

"I don't know… Did you do it?"

"Yes, falling is a piece of cake in addition to being wonderful. It's like flying. We're like birds being free. But don't you tell Mother? That woman hates to see us happy."

Gin closed his eyes. He opened them again slowly. He was falling amid a sea of clouds. He was falling, and there was nothing to slow down his fall.

"Where are you going? Why are you not at your post? Where are the other soldiers? Where are the Espadas?"

"I have to leave, Lady. The enemy has breached the gates of the castle. They will be here shortly. I must take the children to safety. Master's order."

"What?! No!"

"Lady! Stop!"

"We're losing this fight, and he is protecting them like always! Who's protecting me? It's his fault. He's just gonna save himself. That selfish monster. He is gonna try and save his legacy. Give me that sword. Watch what I do to his legacy."

"Stop, Madam!"

Gin blinked. The clouds were getting closer and closer like a neat comfy mattress. He used to go cloud riding with…He doesn't remember who. Does it matter now?

He crashed hard on the ground, digging an immense crater in the middle of the desert. Pain shooting in every nerve ending, he was convulsing on the ground.

The child looked around him. There was nothing but dry land. Somehow it was comforting until he realized he had no idea where he was. The child studied his surroundings carefully. He walked for days before he realized he was truly alone.

Something cold hit his face hard. In addition to his lungs collapsing, Gin was bleeding internally. He heard Rangiku's voice, faint but distant.

He opened his eyes to see Ichigo resolutely standing there. Where was Aizen? He searched the Karakura battlefield until… he realized he was deep in the snow.

"Gin." He heard Toshiro ask.

He tried to open his eyes, his left pupil clogged with blood. He saw Hitsugaya standing above him, his sword raised.

If only he could muster enough strength to pronounce Hitsugaya's death sentence. As surely as he knew that his bankai was escaping him, he had 30 seconds left, he knew that a tiny part of Shinsō was still in the boy's chest. Korose, Kamishini no yari. That was all he had to say for Hitsugaya to join him in death. It was only a few words and if he pronounced them ...

Gin sighed heavily.

Where did this heady music come from?

**Soundscape to Ardor - Shiro Sagisu**

"Gin?"

The intonation of her voice when she called him was always the same. It went up easily in the treble. He was going to admit at first he finds it rather annoying. Nevertheless, over the years, he had finally gotten used to this sound. Nobody pronounced his name like Rangiku.

"Gin? What are you doing? Hurry up ?"

She kept her hands behind her back, triturating her thumbs, fidgeting nervously. It was Rangiku Matsumoto for you! She never could hold still up for more than a few minutes at a time. A bit like him. She loved surprises. But she was almost impossible to surprise.

" Gin, your hands are cold."

"Sorry."

"It does not matter. But hurry up and take off this blindfold, my nose tickles."

" Just a few minutes more, Ran."

"You're so mysterious all of a sudden.".

A breeze played in their hair. Gin slipped behind her, and she jumped when he put her hands on her eyes.

" Walk straight ahead. Then turn thirty degrees to the right, Ran."

"What are degrees?"

"It is..."

He frowned for a moment, his eyes shining.

" This is the unit that measures the amount of sunbeam that tickles Ran-chan's skin all day."

She chuckled.

"Sounds a little weird anyway? Is that even true?"

"Of course, do you not believe me?"

Rangiku did not seem entirely convinced.

"It really measures sunshine? Can we do that?"

"Well, that's beside the point, come with me."

She let herself be guided reluctantly, pouting.

" Gin ..."

"Walk, or you will be stuck collecting woods until winter."

"No! Until winter! You exaggerate Gin!"

She followed Gin's lead meekly. She had learned long ago that it was useless to talk too much with Gin, who always had "logical" reasons to justify his eccentricities. Dead leaves creaked under their feet. The scent of autumn and rain was in the air. He stopped in the clearing and took off the pink scarf off her eyes. He remembered a nice old lady gave it to Ran-chan on her deathbed.

Of course, for a minute, Ran did not notice anything, especially not the surprise he had prepared for her. Ran was well known for ignoring what was under her nose. It was even worse since ... Well, it was worse today. She looked around cluelessly. She stopped in front of him, pouting even more.

" I see nothing."

"Are you sure ?" He replied with a mischievous smile.

A ceramic bowl placed in a tree trunk caught her eye suddenly. Rangiku jumped up and down happily.

"Persimmons, Gin! I love Persimmons! But we can hardly found them in this season. Did you steal them?" She said with a frown.

"No, I earned them perfectly honestly." He lied. " I don't even understand what you mean by that. And then you're losing sight of the essentials, I've won you some candied persimmons. Thank you, Gin! You're the best."

She sighed. He got a point there. After all, they were so poor, who cared for the way Gin acquired those persimmons? They were hurting who, really? She went to sit under cover of an old oak tree with her basket of treats.

" It's a great birthday present, Gin! We can share it because it's a bit like your birthday too. I could not even give you a present because of my accident the other day. I lost your gift."

"Don't worry your little head? You don't even know how to find good gifts. I'm sure I'm not missing out."

Rangiku was offended.

" It's not true."

"It's so true."

"Liar!"

"Sorry, it's true !" He chuckled.

She handed him a treat to silence him. He bit the tips of her fingers playfully.

"You won, I'm going to give you just one.."

He sat down next to her, pretending to sulk.

"Still, it's true that you know how to make a nice surprise, Gin. Touch my heart. I'm so happy!"

When she saw him run a little too eagerly, she remembered that her body had changed a little bit lately. By the end of the summer, a firm pair of breast had replaced the two clementines that would fill her yukata last winter. With a smirk, under the pretext of looking for her heart, Gin groped and cop a feel to his heart's content. A real pervert! She pushed his hand away, her cheeks a bit pink and shiny.

"Pervert."

"You invited me!"

"Always excuses, I don't remember one day when Gin did not look for excuses ...

" I'm not sorry. My gesture was perfectly innocent."

"Gin never does anything innocent."

" That's because Rangiku loves to tempt Gin."

"Since when ?"

"Always ?"

"Always? How long has it been in Gin's mind?

\- You do not remember?

She shook her head with a small, rebellious air.

\- Hmm ... Hmm ... I've known Gin and his lies all my life.

He held his head in his hands silently and made a face. Her words were sometimes like a double-edged sword. He was usually ok with that. The fact that she did not remember anything of their past. Yes ... It was all too convenient that she did not remember what had happened to her after all. He had just said he found her under the hill after she made a bad fall. Ran believed him. Despite what she just said, she always believed him.

She was slow to finish that bowl, and he was dying of impatience to discover her reaction over the real surprise. He had imagined the scene in his head so many times and the sweet taste of Rangiku's lips against his even more often. She plunged her hand into the bowl. His laugh echoed in the clearing.

" One, two, three ... Let's go to the woods ... Four, five, six, pick cherries ... Seven, eight, nine in my new basket, they'll all be red..." She sang while gorging herself on the treats.

She frowned and almost yelled when she found the necklace he had hidden under the confectionery.

" It's ... It's ..."

"For you, Rangiku." He finished with a wink.

She remained speechless, waving the chain in front of her, wide-eyed.

"But it must have been expensive, Gin. How?"

" Do not worry about that, Ran."

He took the chain in her hands and tied it around her neck while she held on her hair.

He let his fingers slide down her soft mane to the base of her neck. She touched the chain with her fingertips. Her index finger played for a moment with the ring in the center that tied the enamel in half.

" You don't like it ?"

" No, Gin, that's not it."

She lowered her head, her cheeks pink with embarrassment.

"I don't have a present for you."

"That you wear it always, it would be my gift. What do you say?"

She shook her head.

" It's a funny way of seeing things, Gin."

He frowned.

"I've always seen things in a funny way. Didn't you say once that's what you like about me?"

She looked up at him. Their eyes were almost the same shade of blue today, even if Gin's was slightly paler and grayer.

" Ran, I thought about it hard. You are my family."

"You're my family, too, Gin." She answered immediately without any hesitation.

"This chain, it is made of the hardest metal, Ran. This metal, only shinigamis use it. It's forged with spirit-matter. The necklace, I made it myself. It is impossible to break it. I linked it with a bit of my reiatsu, so believe me, it's unbreakable."

" How did you do that ?"

She watched him with great candid eyes. Of course, she would not understand even if he explained the process. What came naturally to him was out of reach for Ran despite her abilities.

"As long as you wear it, you and I will always be together. We will always be each other's family. You see this circle. It's like a great cycle. It's unrelenting. It symbolizes eternity. We can hate each other in the future. But the loop will never break. We will be forever connected. As long as you wear it, we will never be separated in life or in death. I will always be able to find you."

" I could never hate you!" She said indignantly, tears in her eyes. "You are my only family, Gin. I could never hate you!"

He shrugged and sat up.

"It could happen someday. We never know. I can do something you won't like and…You will have to remember today then."

She looked straight into his eyes.

" I won't forget."

"You promise? Because if you have to lose all your memories again, It's the only one you have to keep, Ran!"

"You are stupid! I will never forget you, Gin. But if it's Gin who forgets? If Gin forgets Rangiku?" She asked, crossing her arms stubbornly.

He shook his head.

" Gin will never forget Rangiku."

"Why ?"

"Because Rangiku is the only thing Gin likes in this life."

The girl looked even more dubious. It sounded like a bold lie.

" And Persimmons? Gin loves them too."

" Gin only likes Rangiku. He loves Rangiku more than life itself."

She gave a smile of satisfaction. A few minutes passed before Rangiku broke the silence.

"Is it like we're getting married? It's forever. "

Gin blushed a little. While Rangiku was adjusting the necklace around her neck since it was so long that the end of the chain was stroking her belly button. She will grow into it, he reasoned or he may have to adjust it.

Gin frowned quite serious.

" Would you marry me, Ran?"

"Of course, but we cannot. We have to be taller, right? Or older? Or ask someone for their blessings?" She asked. "How old are we anyway?"

"It's not important here. If you want, we can get married now. Right, this minute. Right now. It will be just between the two of us. We will make vows or something."

Rangiku jumped immediately, fist in the air.

"Great! We are married! Gin and Rangiku will never leave each other because married people do not leave each other! Except when they die! But we'll be very old by then, like the grandmother and the old grandfather ... Do you remember? The villagers buried them together. Gin, are you crying?"

He was trying to hide his face between his knees. He wiped his face with a hurried hand. It was the first and last time he cried in front of her.

" I cannot imagine a world without Rangiku."

"I know ... and me without Gin ... I'm sorry I made you sad."

She pouted. Gin brushed her face with his left hand.

" It was Old Setsu-san who gave you the pink scarf. I worked with her husband for years. He taught me how to build a home."

"Yes, that's it! She was sweet, huh? Gin? But she was also a little sad because she did not have children. We'll have lots of children one day, say?"

He nodded. Without really knowing why he liked that idea. She looked down at the floor, drawing rosettes with a wooden stick.

" If we're married, Gin, can I kiss you sometimes?

He shrugged. That idiot!

"On the mouth too?"

He hastened to nod and closed his eyes as she leaned toward him. She laid a soft, chaste kiss on his mouth. It was his first kiss. It was perfect just like he imagined it would be. She tasted of persimmons. His bride. 

"Are you still alive?"

Gin grabbed the ground with his hand. It was all snow and dirt. He spat out a sticky thread of uninterrupted blood and burst out with a hoarse sneer. 

"It was not too bad. You did well, Hitsugaya Toshiro!"

Gin exhaled loudly before starting to vomit again, his forehead in the snow. It was no longer his body only that was battered and bruised. But his spiritual envelope was internally bleeding. Damaged beyond repair. His face, crisscrossed with tears of blood, tainted the snow a pink carmine colored. He tried for the first time to get up.

"If you want to kill me, it's now or never! Go ahead! Don't disappoint me? Show me what Hitsugaya Tōshirō got in his stomach!"

Hyourinmaru stroked his throat with its sharp edge.

"Without her ... It makes no sense ...Life makes no fucking sense. Do not let me live one more minute ... without her…Please…"

Tōshirō winced. He gritted his teeth to give himself some courage. He staggered forward. The fight was going to stop here. He could end it. He could. But why did he have the humiliating impression that Gin had not invested himself fully in this duel in which he had put all his heart? His hands were shaking on the guard of his katana. Regardless, the hundred-year war he had fought in the shadow of Gin Ichimaru was to end here. No one would compare them ever again. This was where their paths shall diverge.

Gin looked around for Shinsō and rolled on his back. Tōshirō had let him grab his zanpakutō. He let out a sneer and sobered quickly, noticing the tremor in Tōshirō's hands. The young captain grabbed his sword with both hands. A tear ran down his left cheek.

Gin dropped Shinsō and let his hand close around Hitsugaya's left ankle.

"Go ahead ... Go ahead, kill me. It's alright! I lost! Fair and square! Target my heart…my head… Painless! We are done here! Do it! But after that, you take that zanpakutō, you go over there, and you save her! I beg you! Save Rangiku!"

BY  [ AR-UA ](https://www.deviantart.com/ar-ua)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: It's probably one of my favorite chapters. I hope you enjoyed it too. I only got one question left. It was epic or not?   
> \-------
> 
> Playlist of this chapter:
> 
> Mind Heist - Zack Hemsey
> 
> The birth of an idea- Zack Hemsey
> 
> Fallen Army [GRV Music Mix] - Audiomachine Most Wondrous Battle Music Ever: They Fought As Legend (youtube)
> 
> Soundscape to Ardor- Shiro Sagisu
> 
> Next Chapter ▶️ Things we lost in the fire


	41. Things lost in the fire

* * *

**Kira Izuru**

Lieutenant of the Third Division under Manatsu Dengeki

Like coming out of a tunnel, he finally saw what was right in front of him. He was ready to walk his own path. Gin Ichimaru had that kind of power.

* * *

It was sunny with a chance of clouds in Karakura. Sakura trees started to blossom. Winter was slowly receding, letting room for Spring to move in. The town was quietly waking up, unaware of all the troubling supernatural events of the past couple of days.

Ishida and Chad were silently walking to school. Ryo Kunieda and Mizuiro Kojima were not far behind. Mizuiro had his eyes glued to his cellphone.

Orihime sat on a bench in the schoolyard. She was in the middle of a crowd of giggling high school girls, with Tatsuki explaining in her stead how she had to pay an unexpected visit to an old relative. Orihime's mind was far away, thinking how inadequate she was feeling in this world now that she reunited with Ichigo and Ulquiorra, how useless she still felt at times.

Isshin was opening his consultation room in his clinic, singing to no one in particular. Ichigo's bedroom upstairs was desert except for Kon, who was having a date with one of Yuzu's dolls in Ichigo's closet. The twins were lingering behind doing the dishes, chatting animatedly about what they hoped to accomplish in school today. Birds soared in the sky in triangle formation just above a certain redhaired who was busy putting out the cigarette in his hand. He gave a last look over his shoulder to the ruins of the bridge and picked up his backpack in the grass. A group of construction engineers was already on site, expertizing the broken bridge, while machines were clearing up the debris.

The newspapers were still talking about the "Lucky collapse" as a day where the Gods were watching over Karakura. "Lucky" since the incident didn't involve any human casualties, just a dozen of cars wrecked along the way and lots of carcasses and junk to be dragged out of the bed of the Onose. It was a miracle no one got hurt. Experts suggested the collapse resulted from a fatal combination of circumstances, mainly natural wear and faulty maintenance. KuKai Co, a large conglomerate, based in Tokyo, announced out of nowhere it would be donating 5 billion of yen for its reconstruction. KuKai was one of Tokyo's oldest Zaibatsu, a giant of 85 000 employees only in Japan, one of the ten wealthiest Japanese traded companies. So imagine the Karakura inhabitants' surprise, when they learned that in a move no one had predicted, the conglomerate decided to donate money for the Onose bridge. Even more strange was the fact that the Kojima group that initially build the bridge thirty years ago refused the sudden generosity and said via their reps that it would take full responsibility for the damages. Well, what to say about that? People were fighting to give money to rebuild a tiny bridge in modest town; life couldn't get any easier. The lucky collapse was considered by most residents like divine intervention, a good omen for the future.

**Sia- California Dreamin'**

In what started to be a ritual, breakfast was served in the Shinigami headquarter. Byakuya sat at the end of the ever-growing table, reading the newspapers. He was especially interested in the article about the supposed rivalry between Kukai Corp and the Kojima group, an economic point of view he found most interesting. Keikosuki was attending to everybody, doing what she liked the most, meaning filling empty plates, turning people into "happy pigs." She was also explaining her inspiration for each dish, grinning proudly. Hisagi, Shane, Momo, and a couple of surviving 4th squad officers were stuffing their faces with food, politely pretending to listen to Keikosuki's chatter.

She tapped Byakuya's shoulder, feeling very proud of herself as more hungry people invaded their living room at once. Even unseated soldiers of the sixth were bold enough to sit beside their captain. It was all rather informal. Byakuya caught a glimpse of the sky through the bay window. He watched a group of birds fly toward the west. Momo Hinamori and Hisagi Shuhei were laughing at a joke Shane made. His vice-captain was so lively today. Hisagi told Hinamori to come to Chad's concert. Byakuya was suddenly startled to see Renji Abarai up. Renji approached the table limping slightly, dragging the spirit compressor, the machine keeping him alive, behind. Hisagi's face brightened up at the sight of his captain, and he rose to offer his chair. Renji and Byakuya greeted each other formally. More soldiers from the ninth division joined. Byakuya suppressed an amused grin. Keikosuki was jumping up and down gleefully. He watched her shunpo'ed her way back to the kitchen to grab even more food. He exhaled softly. All the noises suddenly didn't bother him so much. As she reappeared with a large tray under the ovation of the crowd, Byakuya even welcomed all the bright colors in her stupid smile. He followed her again a bit too lovingly for his own good as she ran back to her ovens.

Renji felt a lot better, even if his situation was still touched and go at times. But he had realized that Byakuya was right; there was no point in moping and sulking. He failed and his body was broken as a result. But he was still a captain. His temporary incapacity couldn't change that. He had to lead by example and do his best to encourage Hisagi and all the others. If he could do that while munching pastries among friends, it was even better. When the table started to shake, he was finishing his fifth mignardises, and Hisagi was telling him about Chad's gig.

They were all brought back to reality crudely as the familiar bell alerted them Soul Society's doors were about to open. The opening of the gate was impossible to ignore from the open dining room.

Mayuri emerged first with Nemu. Part of the furniture was pushed back by third division soldiers. Dengeki Manatsu, Shunsui Kyouraku, Nanao Ise were next. They stood on the side just like Mayuri as Isane Kotetsu emerged from the portal, screaming orders, she was covered in blood. Stretchers and stretchers rolled through the portal, heading to the medical bay. Counting seven officers from the Onmitsukidō down, Byakuya immediately rose on his feet.

They all did, understanding something terrible happened. Bannermen from the third squad soldiers passed through the portal. Covered with a white sheet, Kira Izuru's body was rolled on a stretcher through the hallway to the elevator. Momo Hinamori was the first to scream. She screamed so hard Keikosuki came running from the kitchen holding a knife, and Byakuya's only reflex was to grab her by the arm and pull her toward him. She crashed against him meekly. Shaking like a leaf, she recognized Kira on the stretcher. God only knew what she was thinking at the time. Byakuya witnessed the morbid parade coldly. He said nothing, showed no emotion. Each time Byakuya would see such a procession, he would secretly be brought back to the day his father left this world. He had been just a lieutenant like Kira. Renji was just as tense, standing straight.

On his side, Hisagi was doing a poor job of holding back Momo. Hisagi barely knew what to do with himself. Shane was standing with Renji at a reasonable distance. Keikosuki turned to Byakuya with big fearful eyes, and he realized he was still holding onto her tight. The captain of the sixth squad let go immediately as if he just got burned.

This was war.

She better learned from this. It was war, and it will get even more ugly.

Instead, Keikosuki kept looking at him with those purple-green eyes of her, looking like that kid lost on a battlefield, looking like she didn't belong here. Byakuya knew deep down there was no way this one will ever learn. It made his insides twitch in disgust. It made his blood boil in anger. The fact that he knew she would never learn.

In an instant, sunlight was no longer reaching the inside of the building.

 **_All the leaves are brown,_ ** **_and the sky is gray_ **

Rousing from a heavy slumber without dreams, Kira Izuru fought to open his eyelids. All he could hear were screams and shouts from voices he didn't recognize. His awareness came flooding back slowly, and with it came the coolness of the room. He was surrounded by steel. He was going down. He had no control over his body. He didn't know where there were taking him. To the grave or the furnace, it made no difference to him. When he opened his eyes tentatively, the scents of meds and sterile alcohol wafted in his nostrils. He spurted some blood under his oxygen mask. All around him was an ethereal white. Gradually, he found the colors and patterns again. But everything was moving so fast. It took him a while to realize he was lying on a stretcher being rolled along an unknown corridor. The walls were lilac-blue, the ethereal ceiling metallic white. 

Gin's silhouette was fading as he felt his life slip away slowly, blood seeping through the debris. He blinked. Bankai. It resonated in his flesh. Such a fucking reiatsu? Shinso tore into him ruthlessly. He opened his eyes, but it was way too late for regrets. It was way too late to admire Gin's real features. He was too beautiful to be from this world. But even that, Kira knew he could never share what he just learned about Gin with anyone. Shinso tore his flesh out, silencing him forever. It felt like he was suddenly burning from the inside out. Kira closed his eyes at the painful memory.

One small hand shook him again. Kira finally noticed Momo Hinamori and Hisagi. She was surrounded by nurses and doctors and a couple of officers from the fourth division.

"Kira-Kun! You're awake! I'm so happy! I thought..." The brunet said, wiping her tears.

"Hold on, buddy!" Hisagi said.

"Where am I?" He stuttered.

"You're in the HQ in Karakura. We're taking you to the OR in the level -3. " Momo said.

"You? There? What did you say?" Someone cut in.

"Oh! Captain Dengeki, Kira, is awake."

Dengeki pushed everyone out of her way.

"Really? Good. He and I got to have ourselves a little chat."

"But Captain Dengeki, he needs immediate surgery. You said so yourself."

"I said let me talk to him..."

"Captain Unohana had just been called. She will be here shortly to oversee it all." Momo pleaded.

"It can wait."

"Captain Dengeki…"

Izuru did not immediately recognize his captain's voice. They had so few conversations in common that he did not know by heart. He did not even know what was behind her words, anger, worry, or regrets or fatally none of the above.

"Leave us. Now."

Momo turned to Isane. Unfortunately, Isane was busy trying to bring back a member of the Onmitsukidō who was in cardiac arrest. She called for help, and Hisagi left to help her. Momo and Dengeki were ready for their showdown. Manatsu took the first step by stopping the stretcher with one hand, showing her determination. The nurses turned to Momo, in hesitation.

"He needs that surgery."

"I absolutely do not care, Momo Hinamori. Why are you meddling?"

"Well, he is my friend!"

Clearly unimpressed, Manatsu Dengeki stared the vice-captain down, folding her arms over her chest, clearly challenging.

"He is my lieutenant."

Momo bit her lips shyly. Finally, she went in search of Unohana-taicho.

As the nurses were taking a step back, Dengeki grabbed a chair and sat down next to Kira's stretchers. Kira tried to stand up without success. He couldn't even move a toe. The lieutenant realized he was paralyzed from the neck down. Not only did his body no longer obey him, but he ached everywhere. He couldn't even feel his internal wounds anymore, which was probably not a good sign. He was so exhausted too.

Manatsu did not take her eyes off him.

" Girlfriend?"

She crossed her legs patiently.

"Just a friend. Why do you care?" He croaked, his voice hoarse.

"I don't. I only figured that the nature of your relationship would determine how fast she will run to fetch some help like the good little puppy she is. I bet she will go get Unohana, but I fear the worse. You never know with her type. If she brings back that airhead she got as a captain, I will probably want to kill myself... after I end your life of course for putting me in this situation."

"Air...head?"

"She is, isn't she? The worst type. The type everyone loves."

"I can see you don't like her."

"She is nothing special, I can assure you. I don't like most people. I don't trust most people. I love my wife. "

"Your... wife? You're married."

"Yeah. I like to get home now and then and make sweet passionate love to my wife. I like to play with my kids sometimes too. But honestly, I care more about my wife than anything else."

Kira sobered up quickly. The pain wasn't gone by any means. It was quite literally tearing him apart.

"Is that too much information for you?"

He wanted to shrug. He wanted to cry out in pain. Finally, he could only stare at the ceiling.

"Again, I don't care. I'm telling this so you'd know I can't do that when my lieutenant is being a dick."

"I don't... " He vomited some blood again.

"Shut up, you stupid fool! How dare you go against my orders? You are alive but barely. You're in the worst state, and you need surgery. Lots of surgery. He crushed your back. Multiple bone fractures. Your spinal cord was completely severed, your Achilles tendons slashed too. I don't get it but it was probably his way of playing with you. You have internal bleeding. That's the worse. You are still at risk for vascular embolism. But you're lucky; he didn't leave you an empty shell like some of his latest victims. "

The heavy taste of blood was on his tongue as Kira smirked at her choice of words. Lucky was precisely how he felt right now.

"Thank... you for...reminding me. But I didn't need a cliff's notes version of my medical chart. I feel bad enough as it is."

" As if that man needed to overdo it, he made sure to seal your reiatsu with a very potent kido spell. We all thought you were DOA on site. It took me half an hour just to undo that spell. Lucky I was helped by Kyouraku. I thought you were going to pass away before I succeed."

"Captain Ichimaru has a dark sense of humor. Not everybody understands..."

"Oh, so that makes you laugh?! Is it something you share with him? Will you explain to me how Ichimaru had access to kido knowledge so ancient and complex, even I, formerly a senior kido corps member, didn't know about."

"He knows... how to read... books."

"Very funny! Let me warn you if I was able to repair the damage caused by the kido spell; the rest is at the discretion of Unohana-taicho and her lieutenant. You will need a lot of work. There's a chance you won't even make it past the operating table. Izuru, tell me, what went through your head?"

He was in a bad state. The odds were against him. He didn't really need her to know that. There was not a muscle or a joint spared by pain. Kira made another attempt to get up and groaned when he realized that just thinking about standing put him in a world of pain. Manatsu leaned over.

"You will not run or walk or move on your own for a while. Do you understand? He did that to you, your precious captain. What happened?"

What had gone through his head? Kira did not have a clue. He just knew he needed to face his old captain again. To mourn the past, perhaps? To understand what he lost? To understand his own feelings. Nothing was less clear. He was still unable to mourn his former captain as if what they had was gone. He couldn't put him in the back corner of his mind. This face-to-face had only managed to silence one of his deepest anxieties. It was the idea that he had only been a pawn for the amusement of his former captain, the idea that he had been chosen for his credulity, the belief that he did not deserve to be here. Yes, Gin had answered his prayer in a strange way. He could live or die with that.

"Was Ichimaru worth it? I mean, it's obvious that you were by no means qualified to face such an opponent. I know you're not naïve enough to think otherwise."

Kira swallowed hard. Manatsu pushed a strand of Fuschia hair behind her ear, betraying her frustration. She quickly distanced herself with a sigh.

"I see. You're not going to say anything of value! Yet you have disobeyed my orders to stay away!"

She had raised her voice unwittingly, her cheeks almost as scarlet as her eyes.

"Even if I said anything, you wouldn't like what I have to say…" He said tiredly.

"Sorry? Izuru-fukutaicho, I don't think you understand the position you are in. I don't have time for this nonsense! You know that the enemy can strike at any moment ... Gin Ichimaru must die. I should be leading the strike."

Her. Facing Gin. She was dreaming, her eyes open. But he couldn't tell her that so he said.

"I learned things ... about myself. That felt good."

Manatsu shook her head in disbelief.

" I am your captain! I am the captain of the third division!"

" I know you are. But he is too, Captain Dengeki. He is too..."

Manatsu remained speechless. It was the first time he had recognized her title. But what he had said afterward caught her off guard. Even after Gin severed his Achilles tendons, rendering him crippled, Kira still regarded him as his captain.

True Kira couldn't have explained to her his true feeling. It was even worse than what Dengeki thought, Kira valued Gin even more. For, the sufferings Gin had caused him were nothing compared to what he had given him. He would remain disabled for a long time. Years or decade maybe? Maybe forever? There was a chance he could never serve the Gotei again. The spinal cord was fragile, even for shinigami. It was one of the only places in the body where it was hard to concentrate reiatsu for cell regeneration. It was a lesson that all shinigami learned in their first year at the academy. It was for many a verdict worse than death. Kira should have hated his executioner.

But no, Kira knew now that he had not been in Hinamori's shoes. No, he was not the toy of his captain. He mattered to Gin in the end. That guy had always been about crazy symbolic gestures. Gin had left him alive in exchange for his legs, the legs that could not follow in his steps. It was the legs that would prevent him from being on the battlefield before long and the same legs that would have put him in a precarious position all over again to choose between his mission and their friendship. Never had anyone done so much for him. Few had received so much consideration from Ichimaru Gin. Even if he tried to explain to her, she would not understand. The only person who could understand was Ran, and well, she was gone too.

With a suspicious grimace, Manatsu turned to leave.

"Very good! I don't have time for this! You will get your surgery. But you are under arrest for insubordination, Vice-Captain Izuru. You're facing martial hearing. Try to meditate on your actions and learn from them. When I return, I'll decide for myself what I will do with you. Still, nothing to say?! You're not even going to try to rest your case! Very well! Take him out of my sight!"

Kira stared at the ceiling, his eyes devoid of emotions.

"Tell the guys that I'm sorry I can't fight with them! Take care, Captain!"

* * *

**Enzo Weavorpine**

Primeros n ° 3

He remembered life before Gin Ichimaru. He remembered a much more talkative Matsumoto Rangiku.

* * *

The pendulum made a dull noise. Enzo took refuge in this room after walking around the palace for an hour, carrying Rangiku Matsumoto like a sack of potatoes. The clock had seduced him. Little did he know that he was in the room of old Barragan Luisenbarn; all he knew was that for him listening to a pendulum was something comforting. It was like a well-honed orchestra, music for the most cold-hearted. Antiques crowded the stuffy room, from china porcelain to a gathering of old Japanese tapestries, English teapots, and Russian dolls, silver spoons, a glorious melting pot of different cultures and fashions through the ages. Many items have long lost their luster. Many items Enzo couldn't even guess their use. Barragan may have ravaged an antique shop in the living world or considering the thick layer of dust, it was maybe even older than that. He had no idea. He just sat in the large baroque chair, legs crossed passively, trying to tame his own fiery temper. Behind him on the white wall, a vast tapestry represented Ying and Yang, a subtle lesson of history about what happened when Good won Evil... or Evil won Good. On another painting, a Daimyo was posing with a little boy and a girl. Enzo wasn't really into art. But Barragan seemed to be the only Espada to have a shared passion for the passing of time, and you gotta respect that. Even though it was a little too cluttered for his like, Enzo could admit it he felt perfectly at home here. What did that say about him?

He hardly had time to hang out with the Espadas. He regretted not having the power to go back in time at will. With Barruk, he'd pay Harribel Tia a little visit. He sighed. Admittedly, it was awkward for him to think of another woman when he was in such a good company, but he confessed that he had imagined his reunion with Matsumoto Rangiku differently too.

First, Barruk was still slowly recovering from his wounds so he couldn't assist. It was less fun without his bro. Barruk also seemed to be obsessed with Kuchiki Byakuya's female. He did some research, but neither she nor her Zanpakutō was in Aizen's database. So, he could only call her the fucking Kuchiki whore. Barruk kept the same vacant look as someone who Rigor Mortis had fun with. Enzo knew only one thing for sure. That bitch just made it on top of the list of people with whom he was going to have fun when all hell breaks loose. He doubted that Rangiku-chan would hold his attention for long. This was boring, he thought to himself. After slashing her thigh and soiling the sheets, hemoglobin dripped directly into a bowl at the foot of the bed with large reassuring splashes.

Rangiku had become such an obedient girl over the years. She was bleeding when he caressed her soft skin with his claws. She was all soft and pliable around him. But other than that, she did not make much of an effort to make their game enjoyable. She seemed empty a shell a bit like when they first met. When they left her afterward and she kept staring at the sky like a broken doll. When he remembered their moments of passion, he could not help notice that at the time she at least tried to run, scratch his face, or scream. She was much more of a team player. She made the game so exciting as a result. What happened to his favorite lay? Why did she refuse to engage in a chat with him?

Her hair scattered like a crown on the pillow, her eyes closed, Rangiku remained frozen like a glass statue. The mattress was growing scarlet beneath her. She still gave that air of perfect serenity.

Enzo had tried everything to get her attention. The ticking of the clock became more oppressive in this large gray and empty room. He grabbed the marble armchair. Reflecting on it, she had also been like that the first time. This slut stayed there staring at the sky and there was no way to wake her up. Maybe she was fooling with him. He waved the sealed form of his zanpakutō and stroked Rangiku's face with it, making tiny cuts around her neck. He wasn't even sure she was still breathing.

"This time, if he won't come for you, I will have to go and drag that motherfucker myself! Since you refuse to give me a smile, I'll carve my name on your skin so that your lover knows who you belong to all those years. What am I saying, doll? You're not leaving here alive."

Nothing. He paused his face contorted in anger. Not even missing her heartbeat.

"I'm way too nice on you! Let me gut you open..."

Enzo stroke her silky mane softly before he felt a jolt of electricity in the tip of his claws. Gin Ichimaru's childlike features appeared in front of him, sporting his signature malicious grin. He bolted away. Blue eyes, babyface, the kid leaned over him, his zanpakutō a few inches from his face. The memory so vivid he could feel his hot breath against his, his spiritual power rendering the air toxic around them. He did not even have to ask the question. Gin winked.

" Ichimaru Gin, nice to meet you. You guys are really badass! Are they all like that in the fifth squad?! I have not really mastered my zanpakutō yet. Shinso is being a pain. So, I thought there was no way I could challenge you guys. But I heard you targeted another little girl the other day. So I thought, why not join the fun. I am happy I made that decision. It was thrilling a hunt."

He smirked again.

"I'm going to… Call for help, asshole! They're going to be here shortly!" He remembered spitting.

"Is Aizen going to be there?"

"Teme, who are you? Where do you know Aizen?"

"I'm your replacement fresh out the academy. You're the third seat, right?"

His face stained with blood, his hands also red, covered in grime and filth, Gin stopped the decapitated head at his fist from rolling further. Enzo convulsed in horror. Gin sent it further into the midst of other lifeless bodies, licking his finger clean.

"See, I remember someone saying you shouldn't waste food."

Snowflakes fell on them.

Enzo closed his eyes and started screaming. Gin put his hand on his mouth.

" Tsk tsk, hush, you're gonna wake your friends up."

Gin caught a glimpse of his own gory handy work, unidentified limbs everywhere.

"Maybe not after all. Maybe they're too busy right now." He said with his most devilish grin.

"I didn't do anything... I don't even know you."

"Wrong. You took everything from me. You're just a petty thief."

"I don't know... Tell me... I'm sorry... I will give you anything..."

"You're not but you will be. Sorry that is."

Staring at the pile of severed limbs, Enzo felt like his heart was going to burst out his chest. He was petrified. But it seemed the boy could read in him like an open book.

"Hey, don't worry, I don't think you'll end up like him. I have another idea."

Gin let out a small sneer.

"In fact, I have tons of ideas."

His smirk was gone and his eyes uncompromising.

"I'm quite good at what I do just like you."

Enzo screamed in terror and jerked back away from his invisible enemy. He wanted nothing else suddenly than to get away from Rangiku Matsumoto as fast as he could. He stumbled backward, tripped, and ungraciously fell. Sprawled on his back, he struggled to rise again, pushing wildly on his legs, grabbing on the furniture for support. Before long Enzo was on his knees gasping for air, crawling as he curled up in the corner of the room like a wounded animal. He took a deep breath. What was going on? What was happening to him? Enzo let out a nervous sneer.

" What? I just need some fresh air. Don't think that ... I'm done with you! I just need to get some fresh air. And after that, I'm gonna take care of you and your lover! "

Rangiku remained there like a doll princess sprawled on her pillows, blood dripping slowly from her thigh. However, Enzo could have sworn he saw her lips twitch in a smile.

* * *

By [willy-goldfinch](https://www.deviantart.com/willy-goldfinch)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter▶️Play cat with me


	42. Play Cat with me

* * *

**Grimmjow JaeggerJack**

Ex-Espada n ° 6

Voted by the masses "King of Hueco Mundo."

For someone like him who hated Babysitting, considering its perks was the key.

* * *

Nel was snoring. The noise she made, the spot of saliva she stained his mattress with was really nothing out of the ordinary. Even the laments of her two fractions didn't move him. Nope, all these things did not surprise him.

No, what impressed the most Grimmjow JaeggerJack, what really amazed the rebellious Espada, was that he had hardly moved from his observation post under the window since they had returned from Karakura. Worst, he didn't plan on moving until the kid wakes up. What kind of witchcraft was this?

Well, he had time on hand since Enzo, that psychotic asshole was busy with his shinigami doll. Speaking of Doll, Grimmjow did not know where he had seen that girl before, but her face and her huge boobs were familiar to him. She reminded him of the redhead, Orihime. Oh! That's it! He remembered. It was the pretty bitch who sent one of his fractions to hell. Grimmjow frowned. What was she doing here? What did she have to do with Ichimaru? What was that all about? He clenched his fists and let out a grunt, venting his frustration.

He paced again. At the same time, it's not like he cared one bit. Even he had better things to do than babysit Midge with her two idiots. Bawabawa or the "Thing" as he liked to call it, was currently howling to the moon under his window. "Cockroach" blew his nose noisily on his left, while "Ants" banged his horns against the wall in despair. Nope, no one could convince him that these clowns were fraccions!

It was a miracle he even kept up with them for so long. It was taking all he had as far as patience and compassion were concerned not to kick them out or better kill them. A part of him, the decent part of Grimmjow JeaggerJacques, knew he was partly at fault. He got lost in the moment. It was like ten percent his fault!

Of course, none of this would have happened if this kid hadn't clung to him like a leech. If she'd listen to him, none of it would have happened. Simple as that. As soon as she wakes up, Grimjoww was going to give her a sample of his mind. She will finally learn something. She will respect her elder. If she wants to survive, she will be a good girl. Nel rolled on her stomach, seemingly very comfortable in Grimmjow's king-sized bed.

Gallons of sticky saliva poured like a fountain on the floor again. Grimmjow grunted. He was not gonna clean that up.

"Grimmshowww will become bald if he touches I-tsygo! Let's play cat with Bawabawa! Bwahahahaha! " The crazy lunatic whispered in her sleep.

Grimmjow winced. This was probably a prank. Ichimaru may have left one of his spy cameras somewhere. No way watching over this kid was part of his prerogatives. He was a freaking Espada.

"Nel-chan! Oh, Nel-chan! You must be in so much pain!"

Dondochakka's sobs redoubled all of a sudden. Pesche was making puppy dog eyes at him. It was like they were all part of a brainwashing cult. Pesche stretched out a hand to him.

"Grimmjow-sama, perhaps we should all pray together for the prompt recovery of Nel-chan! Maybe that will help her?!"

Pray? Pray for her prompt recovery? They were fucking Hollows! They were fucking guardians of death! What happened to these people's brains?

The end of his duel with "Sexy" had been epic, in the category "epically ridiculous"! Him, Grimmjow JeaggerJacques had to ask to shorten a fight for "family reasons"! If he had been told this story, there's no way he'd even believe it. If he had been told this story, he would have fucked up the messenger real good. He just told himself this story, and he wanted to punch his own face.

Certainly, at that time, Nel seemed to have gotten hurt badly. But he suspected the kid had over-played it a little. Between her moans, the imaginary patient had asked him with her eyes closed to tickle her 'throat penis'! If she could ask that, without blushing, she had to be faking it!

He decided that someone who didn't care about his life was trying to prank him! He was just as much of a "maso-kiss" if he kept going on like that with Cockroach and Ants starting a new cult!

"But what if she never wakes up, how should we move on with our lives! Such a tragedy!"

Grimmjow bolted from his chair, seized Dondo-Cockroach by his sticky nostrils, and the other great stupid fool by one of his horns, and kick them out.

"You both better stay out my way before I dig another hollow hole in you!"

He slammed the double doors of his suite.

Good riddance! Who's next?

It was exactly what he should have done seven hours earlier! He couldn't believe he had tolerated the presence of Grumpy and Happy for so long. It was a new record! Was that what they called maturity? Or was it earlier onset of dementia?

Grimmjow felt his hair stand at the base of his neck. If he had nine lives like cats, he would have just lost one. Nel's reiatsu spiked like crazy. Swept by a burst of reiatsu, his bluish hair fell clownishly over his face.

" Nel ... Nelliel ..."

She was standing, her back to him, her eyes searching, looking lost and haggard. She spun slowly and stared at him with the distance and phlegm that characterized her in this form. Pushing her lock of green hair behind her ear, she finally smiled like Little Nel. Grimmjow blinked over and over. He couldn't help looking for little Nel in his bed because the version in front of him look too much like a freaky ghost in her ersatz of a green dress. She needed new clothes.

"Huh?! You ... You are up?"

Grimmjow put his hands in the pockets of his pants, feigning a certain nonchalance. Okay, this was neither the first time he had faced Nelliel, the adult nor the first time he had witnessed her transformation. She had changed twice since the end of the war. The first time, it happened by accident after a brutal session of sneezing that shook the walls. The second time it happened while she was crying on his shoulder, annoyed to have lost a race with "the thing." Both times, he'd been incredibly pissed at her and witnessed her transformation with round eyes. Also, he quickly found a way to slip away, dash, and get the hell out of Dodge. Because let's be perfectly honest, Tres had never been his cup of tea in her full-size version.

So, he was looking for the exit this time too.

"I kick them out a bit too early ..." He stuttered.

They would have helped to cover his departures.

To his surprise, he heard her chuckle.

"I was honestly wondering how long Grimmjow was going to last."

He raised an eyebrow at that. She gave him a mischievous look over her shoulder and a malicious wink. Fuck that bitch in her very short dress! He said nothing, though.

"You were awake?"

"I won every play dead competition with Bawabawa since I don't know..."

"You were playing me?" He growled.

"It was your punishment for hurting Nel!"

The fuck was wrong with her? Her abundant mane barely covered her butt. Just like him, she no longer wore a number. She stretched on her tiptoe and took a few steps in the room before dropping into the large Persian cushion that served as Grimmjow's basket. He already told her many times. She could have the bed, but nobody slept on his pillow but him. Yes, some liked to sleep in a bed. Grimmjow liked to take naps on this huge soft cushion under the window. There was a bed in all the suites. It had been one of Aizen and Ichimaru's stupid ideas to make the Espadas forget their hollow conditions even further and bring them a little closer to their enemy, the shinigami. Seriously what did a hollow have to do with a bed? It had been his first question in Espada Council.

Tōsen got all pissed off because it sounded ungrateful to him. They got in each other's faces. Then Ichimaru pointed out that he read somewhere those rooms used to belong to old Vasto Lorde. A fact Barragan confirmed. Ichimaru added they'd freshened up the walls, put a few cams here and there, but all the furniture was original. He also said dryly there was nothing better than a bed to fuck each other's brains to pass the time, and they were absolutely going to need to pass the time with Aizen-sama's long-winded plan. Grimmjow couldn't really counter that argument back. Gin finished by pointing out his bed was available for any volunteer except for Barragan and the creepy brain in a box since he didn't like royalty and social experiment altogether. That did the trick, and hilarity ensued. Topic shifted. Aizen said nothing.

Odd time to have illuminations, he annoyingly blushed as he realized what practical things they could do on that bed. That was probably that evolved part of him that was talking. Grimmjow remained unusually silent. It was as if a cat got his tongue. The analogy was easy. But it was not a rare phenomenon when Tres was around. There was a time; he hated that bitch. Seriously, she spent her time preaching peace and mercy on earth when she had the power to destroy nations and the glorious ass of a goddess as a bonus! Besides, she was almost as good-looking as he was! Why was she so lame at heart?!

Sure, Noinntra was a coward for doing what he had done. What good was it betraying your own kind? We couldn't call that a victory? No, if it had been him, he would have taken his time teaching Tres how to spell his name backward! At the time, if she had accepted his numerous invitations to brawl, he would have legit destroyed her!

" Grimmjow?"

Probably legit destroyed her, he means. Argh, probably not? The princess's reiatsu was blowing hot and cold across his face. Did she mind? He made a face, his brow oozing with sweat. She was going to alert all of the stupid Primeros with her fucking reiatsu! Like a tap inadvertently left open, her spiritual pressure pushed his back and invaded the room. She watched him curiously and seemed to notice his discomfort. In a second, she regulated the flow of a reiatsu. And all this without changing expression, it was like an afterthought. He noted it was still so instable a reiastu, its signature shifting.

She looked up at him quizzically, two gray pearls studying him. Grimmjow swallowed hard. Yes, maybe, no. She was number three for a reason. He always wondered what she could have done to go up the ladder like this. When she looked at him like that, she seemed pretty , her reiatsu was so inconsistent.

" You have nothing to say ?" she asked.

That was exactly the type of arrogant behavior that annoyed him. What did she think? That he was going to apologize! There had to be a law against annoying, dull, dipshit meddlers that interrupted perfectly loyal and legitimate duels. She is the one who should bow down on her knees to beg for his forgiveness and maybe ...

Maybe if he was in a magnanimous mood, he would forgive her! Scratch that. He was going to make her suffer before forgiving her. How dare she make him feel guilty? She had ruined his fight with "Sexy"!

Nel raised her eyebrows insistently, losing patience, amazed at his silence. She expected him to grovel, and he was still behaving like he didn't know better. This guy couldn't learn. Grimmjow continued pacing before realizing that he didn't have to endure that! He didn't have to listen to her moan about good and bad ... and good ... and ... bad ... bad ...

As if she was his mother! As if they were a fucking couple! They didn't have to pretend to be human and have feelings! Fuck this bitch! Let this be known; they weren't especially buddy either! He owed her nothing!

He was about to tell Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck to go fuck herself when she gave him the coup de grace.

"I am sorry, Grimmy, I know I shouldn't have intervened. I know it's your way of interacting with people. But I was so afraid that Grimmjow would get hurt!"

What did that lunatic just say? What did she call him? Grimmjow blinked comically. What? What? Afraid? Afraid for him?

Her face shifted again as she passed from a mood to another mood. Was that bitch fucking with him? Nel offered him another 'cunning' smile and pushed her hair back again. Special feminine power turned to 100! He opened his mouth and closed it. He clenched his fists. She was fucking with him. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What right did she have to mother him like he was a baby?

"You feel better, Kid! Newsflash, I didn't need you to save me! I had everything in my hands! In fact, next time you get in my way, you can also ask "Cockroach" and "Ants" to come and sign your epitaph!"

She shrugged.

"You're welcome. That's what friends are for!"

She replied, making the V for victory with her fingers. He came to stand in front of her.

"Did you hear what I just said? I don't need your help! Stop sticking it out for me! I can stand on my own!"

Grimmjow was appalled at how whiny that came out. Nel nodded vigorously, her eyes bright. She must have fallen on her head a bit too hard. She wasn't listening to him at all!

"I know, but I had to help. You always overdo it but I knew you wouldn't hurt me."

"That's where you're wrong, idiot. I will hurt you. I will hurt you in a heartbeat if you ever pull this stunt again!"

"I forgive you. I know it can be hard, and you don't mean to be so rash all the time."

His eyes wide, Grimmjow felt like trashing his room and burning a flag right now. She was getting under his skin.

"Don't. Do. That. Try to understand. Try to interpret my words against me. Believe me when I say you don't want to mess with me, little girl."

Nel bolted from the pillow and climbed on the desk. She changed the topic just as abruptly.

"Ichigo looked great, didn't he? I was very happy to see him. Do you think we could visit him one of these days? I've never been to his world before. It looked pretty last time. When Grimmjow is there, Nel is not afraid! So, let's go see him again."

Grimmjow clenched his fists and revealed his fangs. He wanted to growl at how annoying she was. But he was suddenly conflicted because he actually likes this idea.

"To visit him? I'm strangely all for it. I have a few things to settle with him. This time, you won't stop me from tearing this town down with..."

With the same poise, Nel's smile faded.

" If Grimmjow ever touched Ichigo, I will wipe him out of this world as if he never existed. I will be very sad then, probably devastated and heartbroken, but it will be inevitable. The loss of Grimmjow cannot counter the loss of the one who saved my life. Nel does not like people who hurt her friends."

Surprised by her words, especially the chill determination attached to each word, Grimmjow looked for signs of what she just said being just a joke. However, Nelliel never looked so serious, her gaze suddenly distant. There were no signs of weakness in her eyes. She looked at him without blinking and pushed a new strand of hair back. They stayed for a moment eyes locked. Grimmjow looked down first and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Bullshit!"

"I'm sorry if it hurts."

"It doesn't."

What the fuck was that? As if Kurosaki Ichigo was the center of the fucking world!

"Grimmjow is very angry."

" Yeah, you can say it! I'm always fucking enraged when I'm with you! You make me furious!"

"Sou ka ..."

She blinked with dramatic intensity. He admitted to feeling a little stupid when she looked at him like that. Did she ever look at Kurosaki like that? He blinked like he was having an internal beef with himself. What the hell did that have to do with this? Why did he even care? His brain was even a little broken because of her.

She leaned toward him suggestively.

"Do you want me to lick your wound? Make it all better?"

He crouched in front of her as if she had just said the magic words. She could have said 'sit boy' that he would not have done it faster.

He didn't know why he was always down for a little licking session. It was even better right now that she was in her original form. Nel took her time to help him take off his jacket. Although he was suddenly obedient, he impatiently took the jacket from her hands to throw it on a useless marble cube. She lowered herself back on his cushion. He swallowed with difficulty when she changed the position to get on all fours. She examined him carefully with a semi-expert eye. Scars of all sizes decorated his V-cut abs. The biggest scar was courtesy of Nnointra and his scythe, which had almost cut his hollow hole. The flesh was an angry red since his confrontation with "Sexy." Nelliel moisturized her pink lips. While waiting for her to get into place, Grimmjow practically held his breath.

" Hold on !"

He had a few requirements. If they were to do what they were about to do, he needed to get comfortable as well. He shifted on the pillow in the desired position. Nelliel raised an eyebrow curiously.

" We are not going to engage in sexual intercourse, Grimmjow."

For God Sake, Woman! Why did she have to break the mood? Besides, who was talking about sex? That was so human! That was for mortals! Grimmjow was just not against the idea of letting their instincts speak, have a good time, get off, shag, fuck, or get laid. That didn't make him a monster!

She stared at him, suspiciously. She didn't look convinced.

"Who would like to fuck a kid?" He said.

It was rather crude. Nel looked away and stared at the floor. He swallowed again. It was not really what he meant! Why was she making this face? They were freaking Espada ! How did she manage to survive for so long with such a faint stomach?

"I... I didn't want to…" He paused. " I don't want to fuck a kid. Even I have limits. I mean, kids should stay kids…"

She frowned even more.

"That didn't come out right! It's not that you're a kid right now. Look at you!"

The way Grimmjow saw things, she was all woman 'hear me roar' right now, and he couldn't help look at her like she was a snack. Nelliel looked at her boobs, feeling suddenly self-conscious. She blushed, avoiding his gaze. Grimmjow swallowed hard. She was so… It was infuriating the way she would consistently judge him for something that was just normal for a man to feel. Was it not normal to admire beauty?

"You… You're a lot! I can't think of a word for it! Because you're like that… this much…I didn't mean that you're not good. I mean, I would if you would! Wait, don't get sad! Fuck, what did I say about not getting sad, little girl?! What did I say, period?!" He growled.

She jumped slightly at his tone. Her eyes were shimmering with emotion he was unable to recognize. She looked so innocent and corruptible and so tempting and...

"I got it, pet. Not on your mind. Right? It's purely business. We're not… never going to do that … even though we could… I mean…it's not unheard of. But we're not. Got it. End of story."

She gave him one of her signature smiles, and his stomach tightened painfully all over again. He was suddenly so hungry for more. It was then that he noticed at the base of her neck, right at the corner of her left cheek, a dry stain of blood that wandered alone. Her shoulder and the inside of her left arm showed signs of abrasions and scratches. He found himself brushing her neck softly with callused fingers. He did this to her. He was responsible for those. Approaching his face slowly and carefully, he surprised Nel by licking the curve of her jaw.

"Grimm ... Grimmjow ..."

"I get it. No sex." He groaned, eyes closed.

Although he knew full well that his saliva did not have the regenerative benefits of Nel's "vomit," the instinct was stronger than anything at the time. Grimmjow set out to trace her neck with the tip of his tongue. He then retraced her collarbone. She grabbed a firm handful of sky blue hair with an inaudible sigh. Grimmjow then pushed her hair back before following the curve of her arm. With just her few scratches here and there, her Hierro was so soft and flawless. How did she manage that? A first cord was untied in his belly when he heard her utter a groan. Was that new? By pure instinct, he purred against her in response. Obedient, she let out the same sound. Surprised, she covered her mouth immediately.

"Sorry ... It's just ... I don't know what happened. It was like you... were calling me."

Grimmjow frowned because he realized that maybe he did call for her. He had a sudden doubt. He was suddenly a bit lost. After a minute, he grinned with male pride.

" Wasn't doing much talking, though. Your body was. Thanking me sort of." He said with a sly grin.

Their eyes met again. He dropped the smile and the bravado. She nodded. He knew what that must have looked like. It was the first time he had made a slightly tender gesture toward her, and it was seemingly coming out of nowhere. He knew it might seem perverted from the outside. It was just something he did to repay her for the kindness she showered him with when he was sick. That was it. Without a word, he leaned down again. Only, he had barely touched her shoulder this time, barely got another taste of her, that Nel backed away to the other side of the cushion, one hand on his chest. He was almost ready to lean over again when she applied pressure.

"Enough, I think it will be fine. My turn." She said, her face flushed red.

She took over in the most surgical way possible, running her tongue over the wound to close it and drowning it with her saliva. He gritted his teeth, suddenly tense. His eyes were glowing as she ventured closer to his Hueco Centro. His breath labored, Grimmjow held onto the windowsill with a deadly grip. It was about the essence she was pouring inside him right now. How much it represented her. How much he could sense her inside him, roaming in his brain, playing with his senses even in the air he exhaled. It was about how much her presence was filling him to the brim. His head jerked back slightly as he closed his eyes. In that form, her spiritual pressure was the most potent.

He felt like he had the strength to destroy nations... Not unusual, you might say. But the strength to build them right back was rather new. Her saliva dripped even closer to his Hueco Centro. He heard her moan. He purred in answer. Again, she froze. He was afraid even to breathe, in case it would be enough to scare her away. She pretended nothing happen and went back to her task with dedication. When she felt satisfied, she looked at him. He couldn't bear that cute smile on her lips, so he kissed her. That was going to be his defense at his trial. He was going to hell anyway, so what's one more sin?

Tired of beating around the bush, the Hellbound babysitter, doomsday advocate, soul briber, eternal brawler, drew his pretty protege against him to kiss her fiercely. It will not come as a surprise to anyone that Grimmjow had never been able to follow a contract in his life. So the clause "without reproduction of any kind" of their relationship, he was quite ready to renegotiate. He was all for finding a better deal right now. So it didn't matter that the universe was about to implode again. It didn't matter that like Santa Claus' elves, Aizen Sousuke's henchmen set out to get him out of prison. It didn't matter that Cockroach and Ants were probably snooping via the keyhole, Grimmjow answered to no one right now. He was surprised when she kissed him back. Nel's lips, soft as a forbidden fruit, folded under his without opposing too much resistance. Well almost... She bit ferociously into him, drawing blood. He moaned. That was uncalled for.

Nel pushed him away so violently that Grimmjow slammed into the adjacent wall with force. Perhaps she had had time to add two and two mentally. He straightened up in the same spirit as a boxer thrown into the ropes in a ring. With a rotative kick, Nelliel sent him crashing back in the cabinet. She only said no sex. How was he supposed to know she counted kissing as preliminary? Now, who was being a little dishonest? He went to punch her but she kicked right across his ear.

Nel didn't even put all her strength in it, the little rascal. Like a cat, Grimmjow fell back on his feet immediately. How annoying? How dare she go easy on him? He materialized in front of her using Sonido, grabbed both of her hands, before giving her an avenging kick in her stomach. Not very gentlemanly, but he was just getting started. Propelled back, the young woman stumbled on the armchair before leaning on the wall to perform a backflip. Two helicopter kicks followed. She almost blinded him with those. He stepped back. She had nothing to envy to Sexy in the art of pissing him off! He quickly rubbed a little blood on his nostrils and grabbed Nel by the arm. He unceremoniously tossed her on the bed. Yes, the furniture had to be baptized eventually! With another jump, she leaned on the wall and freed herself with a new jump. Fucking god, this woman! Without turning around, he put an arm in a hook, caught her neck, and she found herself unceremoniously at square one. Shit! He was sweating from too much exercise. A drop of sweat slid down his abdomen until it fell on her naked navel. It distracted him long enough for Nel to hook her legs viciously around his neck, successfully subduing him. His trashing slowed. She shifted position to climb on him, still keeping the upper hand. She straightened up again while Grimmjow anticipated his loss. But the imperial knockdown, the rain of fists he expected did not come. With the same violence, hands suddenly gripping his neck, Nel pulled him close to her to steal a kiss.

By[blackstorm](https://www.deviantart.com/blackstorm)

" You're going easy on me, Grimmjow Jeagerjacques! How dare you?"

He responded in kind, kissing her with the same hunger. She needed to keep this size forever was all he could think. No other thought was reaching its destination. This made the whole thing not very coherent. He no longer knew how this thing started exactly. Who kissed who first? He just knew that suddenly the mood changed, that he had succeeded in cornering the doe! Straddling her finally and licking her collarbone with devotion, he held onto her, caressing her, looking for her Hueco Centro. Where the fuck was it? It was probably somewhere very private! How naughty! Nel bit his tongue for his audacity, but the damage was done. Grimmjow was bewitched and tamed. Sex and violence! The best combination on earth! This cat was in heaven.

He suddenly froze above her. Her hands-on his hakama, doing things there that should be forbidden. Grimmjow frowned. What if she disappeared again? The thought was suddenly so haunting it sent a shiver down his spine. To think that he could open his eyes, and she would be back to being a kid; only she wasn't this confident and tranquil. She wasn't this annoying per se. She was only clingy and fragile. What if she'd scared him again like she did when he fought against the other captain-level badass?! Grimmjow wasn't much of a thinker; his blood didn't always rush in the direction of his brain. But this, he understood, was the closest he ever felt in being complete. How insane was that? Even if he was bothered to have to admit it aloud, things only happen on a cosmic level for a reason.

Hollows knew that. It's not for nothing Hueco Mundo was plunged in darkness with only the moon to guide them. Once upon a time, the sky was sparkling with stars. Now, the stars were all gone for some reason except for the moon. Hollows were still compelled by nature to search for them in the black sky to reflect upon their regrets. Hundreds of his brethren were still stuck in the desert, searching for something missing while contemplating the moon. Nothing was missing when she was inside him. Nel was freely touching his Hueco Centro, and it was positively driving him insane to think she could stop tomorrow.

'Let's mate!" He suddenly blurted out.

She looked up, eyes wide. Of all things she expected him to say, this was definitely not on the list.

"What?"

She blushed. He didn't say it again. She heard him well.

"Grimmjow JeagerJack, you know you don't need to do this much to get me out of my clothes."

Grimmjow sat on his heels with a frown, lost in his own thought.

"I'm serious."

She almost bolted up, her legs spread on either side of him.

"You want to mate? Now?"

"Yes. Why not?"

Nel could have given him a dozen reasons. They were Espada. Yes, they were the elite. But only Vasto Lorde mated. It was an ancestral tradition and… Finally, she didn't find that much argument against it.

"Because that's… so unexpected. Traditional. Old-fashioned."

"These are not really objections."

"Well, you know what mating means for our kind. It means… forever… and a little bit more after that. That's a long time." She explained matter-of-factly.

He wanted to melt in her tranquility right now. She should be positively scared by such a commitment; she was just looking at him like she was schooling a child. Just a few minutes earlier, he wanted to choke her to death. Grimmjow was aware. Now, he just wanted…an eternity of this. What was wrong with him?

He shrugged.

"It means we share death. We share strength. We hunt together. We rule together. We breed. When the day comes to be reborn, if that day ever comes, we will together. That's the way of the Vasto Lorde. I'm surprised you even know about this." She said softly, tracing his abs absentmindedly. "That's a bond no one can ever undo."

Honestly, he wasn't listening to her. First, he never was that great a listener, sorry to disappoint, especially when he had something on his mind. Ask the fraccion who tried to convince him when he decided to attack Karakura on his own. Well, let's just say poor Danierro didn't make the trip. He just didn't listen much to anything other than his instinct. In all good faith, he had asked her. But honestly, he knew as soon as he got the idea, this was the best way for both.

He was unsheathing his zanpakutō already, ready for the blood sacrifice. To seal their deal, he needed to let his blood in her Centro. She had to do the same. It was the only way. His reasoning was simple. If she was a part of him, they'd share strength. She'd never be fragile again. He'd never have to worry again.

Nel simply stared, her eyes wide. What had gotten into him suddenly?

"Grimmjow… this is…"

"Yes or no?"

She simply smiled like the Mona Lisa she was.

"If I die, you die."

She picked up her own sword.

"If I die, you die." He repeated, slicing his hand.

The walls vibrated and rumbled all a sudden. The sudden collision of their combined reiatsu caused the momentary opening of the double doors. The light went out in the whole palace for a couple of seconds, the world became a critical blue before it came back to normal.

* * *

Pesche Guatische

Arrancar n ° 41

Fraccion of Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck

Part of the comic trio "Cockroach, Ant and Midge" in the troupe of Grimmjow JeaggerJacques.

* * *

A sudden reiatsu wave spread in the corridor like a strong gust. Dondochakka remained pinned against one of the marble pillars. Pesche flew away to land heavily much further. It was perhaps the only way Grimmjow Jaeggerjacques had found to put a stop to their voyeurism session, but he couldn't help but think that a simple "get out" would have been enough. The half-open double doors slammed again.

**Accelerated World -Accel World Original Soundtrack feat. ONOKEN**

The walls vibrated again. Pesche took a moment to collect his dignity. What did Grimmjow believe? Did he think he had the right to defile the spiritual body of their "dearly departed little sister"? Did he think he had the right to put himself between Nel and her "brothers"? He turned his head towards Dondochakka. Pesche could have sworn to see sparks of anger in his brother's eyes. But hilariously, what the fraccion took for angry sparks was, in fact, a reflection of the bright lights in the hallway. Dondo had fainted against the pillar.

Pesche grinned. On a casual day, a million things bothered him before he even had lunch. But well, what he saw through the keyhole had just horrified him; Espada Sexta was attacking their beloved leader like the horny senseless animal he was. He was putting his dirty, vicious paws on Nel-sama. The double doors remained open for the space of a second. He blinked, as he sensed the shift in their spiritual power. No. They were mating.

In front of the door, Pesche Guatische was sweating so hard. Dondochakka was crying. What was this Grimmjow monster doing with little Nel? They had a small idea through spiritual pressure flows. Pesche yelped in despair. Mating? Were they crazy? He crawled on all four hammering the doors with his fists. His crazy antics were somewhat contained since he wasn't crazy enough to go into this room without an invitation. Interrupting a mating ritual was like writing a suicide note.

Dondochakka was the first to give up and shrug. There was nothing to do, and it was all above their paygrade. That sneaky thief stole their sister. They were defeated. The areas where the Espada Sexta lived after the war was on the other side of the palace, far away from the Las Noches nervous center. It had been Nel's idea to settle there as this part of the palace remained one of the best-preserved. All Grimmjow's objections regarding the invasion of his territory fell on deaf ears. He was so weak at that time; he couldn't make much of a threat. The fight with Ichigo and Nnointra had left him crippled. It was Nel-sama's kindness and generosity that saved him. They moved here, playing and having tea party. Dondo and Pesche continued to hang out with Nel every day. Life had resumed its course.

And then like chimeras, these primeros came out of the shadow, and everything started to fall apart.

It had become just as difficult to survive in this place as it was in the time of the Espadas. So keeping Sexta's sword close by turned out to be the only right thing to do. It was their best chance of survival.

He heard footsteps approaching and came out of his reverie. Dondochakka also stopped fooling around and pay attention. They remained on their guard. If it was still that horrible Archer, the messenger of the psychotic leader of the Primeros, he didn't know what they will do.

Grimmjow chased him earlier, but he could have returned with backup. How frightening!

Maybe it was Loly and Menoly.

No, Grimmjow still terrified them.

There were still some arrancars hiding deep in the belly of Las Noches. Yet most of them tried to stay out of trouble, especially since the shinigami repeated incursions since Aizen's defeat only recently stopped.

However, this signature was not familiar. Something was blurring his senses. He turned and blinked several times ... huh?

A silhouette came out of the shadow, progressing fast. He discerned a white mane and a youthful face.

Huh?

Pesche let out an exclamation of surprise, noticing the number on the white coat of the newcomer. His blood only turned cold. A shinigami? A captain-level shinigami. Behind him, the double doors of the suite opened with a feral growl. He felt Grimmjow's menacing presence. He didn't know why he felt relieved somehow. He bowed down. Dondo imitated him. Nel followed suit, tense but confident. She stood behind Grimmjow, cooly staring in her distance. His Katana still on the cabinet behind them, Grimmjow promptly unsheathed the sword attached to Nel's waist and assumed a defensive stance, ready to pounce. While Nel simply closed her eyes, nonchalantly.

The newcomer continued to climb the corridor dragging his burden behind him with one hand.

Noticing the presence of the local welcoming committee, Tōshirō Hitsugaya ran a hand over his back to unsheath his katana. He was in a hurry. He couldn't afford to waste any more time. Feeling the proximity of his master, Haineko, that he had also attached with Hyourinmaru, vibrated. He tightened his grip on Gin Ichimaru's collar and dragged his body along the corridor, leaving an endless trail of hemoglobin on the marble.

BY  [ KDreamZ ](https://www.deviantart.com/kdreamz)

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = In Conclave


	43. In conclave

* * *

**Unohana Retsu**

Captain of the 4th division

Also known as the "Beast Kenpachi."

Also known as Unohana Yachiru

At the beginning of time, she was a sword for hire, a mercenary. Not much was needed for her to enter a fight, but the notion of the blood of an adversary drenching her sword. Now she was a free spirit, free to love, free to hate, free to fight, free to die.

* * *

"Can I see your scar tonight?"

**Ciara - Paint It, Black (Official Audio)**

She loved how polite he could be whenever they were touching matters of the flesh. His voice would be detached, almost clinical and direct, speaking directly to her core, to Yachiru. It was if he was the doctor, and she was the patient. Unohana loved close doors. There was nothing more sensual than a man closing the door on her, helping her keep her dark secrets. With the door closed, all pretenses fall. The facade she had to show the world could finally melt away and all that was left of her was ready to be given away to the highest bidder.

The life of a mercenary.

She pushed all the files and books on the desk and waited for him to make the first move in a predatory way.

Sad to say, they didn't find a use for the desk. This time.

Unohana Yachiru was all logic and cool detachment until her hair finally came undone. When she touched his skin, then something not only stirred in her, a sort of starving hunger that took over her thinking. It was like flicking a switch, and all she wanted was to fuck and fight, fight and fuck, no matter in what order. The rest of the world became a slight blur that was banished into the far recesses of her mind. The only thing that mattered was touching him more. She was no longer gentle and meek. She ripped and trashed and clawed her way to pleasure.

Every kiss left a redness on her skin like his distinct signature, like a temporary tattoo, like a quick letter, telling the world about whatever this was. They never speak about it. She wasn't the kind of woman you sat down and have the talk with. She didn't care about tomorrow. She was made for now.

Although Retsu would advise her patients to exercise often, she never got to fully practice what she preached. She had a very quiet intimate life. Not quiet in the sense where she didn't get a few bangs, see a few stars, have a couple of butterfly swimming in her tummy from time to time. It was just quiet as in there was not a lot of men she ever felt comfortable enough to share this with. Yet, in the line of duty, a pleasurable moment was not to be taken for granted, so when Jūshirō, Shunsui, or Zaraki offered, depending on her mood, of the actual state of the moon, she generally didn't let the opportunity pass.

They took a turn using the chair in the office until they didn't have the strength anymore until they were exhausted beyond beliefs, sweaty, and flushed. It was even more hard work being stealthy in a building full to the brim with people. But again, she thought it made for the best cardio.

While Jūshirō was on the floor, resting his head on her lap, she remained sprawled in the comfort chair, not very lady-like, in nothing but her traditional undergarment. She stroked his silky hair, massaging the side of his face. Jūshirō took the best care of his hair, and it always smelled like spring. Every time he was overwhelmed by a cough, she would wait for the storm to pass. When he finished coughing, she pulled playfully on his mane and licked the drop of blood left in the corner of his mouth.

They remained like that until the sun came up again, the sunlight filtered by the linen curtains. Leaning over softly, Unohana showed her appreciation by kissing the top of his head. He turned toward her, catching her lips before she could fully retreat. Jūshirō was the only one she allowed herself to kiss, though. Something about it always made it so evident. First, he was an amazing kisser. But although, sometimes she could see so much in his eyes. It was like seeing her own reflection in the mirror. He could have retired like her. He could have retired and spent his last days writing children's books. He could have settled down with a charming unsuspecting young thing. He certainly didn't lack their attention. But this work was all he had just like her. They were not the type to dream of having a house and a family. He was so good at what he was doing just like her. There was no way he could let this gift he had rot.

She watched him stir with a contented smile. He stood up gracefully never in a hurry to cover his chest. His hand traced her chest, his fingers lovingly drawing every curve, ensnaring her throat tight for one minute, before caressing her cheeks, her hair. He wouldn't look at her then, his eyes staring in the distance, as if he was trying to print and map her body from memory. He stood by the window, his defined chest in full view. He stretched and she marveled at the tautness of his muscles.

She realized she would need a cup of tea if she ever hoped to leave the comfort of that chair. She remembered it had been days since she'd slept.

She opened her eyes, startled as a steaming hot cup of tea magically appeared in front of her a couple of minutes later. He was an 'expert mind reader,' too.

"Can't expect it is any good… but I feel this will have to do." Jūshirō simply said.

" Gosh, we must do this more often. I could get used to this."

"Well, you never do, and you leave me disappointed every time." He said mischievously as he picked up an overturned chair. He sat down with a sigh, taking in for the first time the extent of the damage in the office.

Files and books littered the floor. Paintings were torn in the middle. Another chair was broken. A bookshelf was dangerously leaning sideways.

"I wish we had superpowers to clean this up in the blink of an eye. Wait…" He smirked.

She gave him an amused wink in return, sipping on a tea. Before long, he was back next to the window, sunbathing.

She frowned. He reminded her for a second of Tadashi Ichinose. It was just the way he stood by the window, the grace in his movement. Young Tadashi was just as smooth. Yachiru closed her eyes. Tadashi was looking at her with a smug expression on his face. He winked.

_"You like what you see, Yachiru-chan? I know you secretly want me."_

_"Yes. Drenched in blood and your guts attached to my sword. Also, I'd probably wear your skin to sleep." She retorted as she leaned to grab some yakitori meat in the fire. Tadashi made them, and they were delicious. Hilarity ensued among the group._

_Guro Sakeba, the "Hollow Rider," almost spilled his wine on the ground. Shiba Simo immediately rose to refill his good friend's empty mug. Ryujin Kasumiōji was standing out among all of them with his blond hair. He was finishing a whole chicken, but he had enough appetite for an entire goat. Another that was standing out like a tower, Komamura Sajin, with his wooden helmet. Kuchiki Natsuo roared with laughter, almost choking himself with the meat in his mouth. He was the less refined man she's ever met and the laziest. She used to say his most useful skill was being a rich merchant. He could really sell anything including his mother. He could use a sword but nothing worth being mentioned in a book, according to Unohana, although she was pretty sure he was already selling a collection of novels about his mostly bogus adventure. Mariyo Dorotsube grabbed some smoke pork and sat down beside her on the makeshift bench she occupied. When he sat, she heard the bench cracked._

_"I'd want you to wear my skin to sleep. Hell, as deadly a prospect, I bet all the guys do. How can you arrange that, beautiful?"_

_Mariyo, the wise, was also another crude specimen._

_Just like she wouldn't waste her saliva to talk to this boor, she also wouldn't waste her time fighting him. He was a terrible swordsman. But he could use a mace like no other, so he was useful in a melee of men. She detested his way of fighting. It was all about brute force. But he was the most perfect infantry soldier one would ever need. His head was hard enough that it could open doors._

_"Yachiru-chan, you should try being more tender-hearted, or else you will never find yourself a good man. Bibigosha said as she came out of her tent, holding Omaeda Tagawa's hand._

_Bibigosha Shihouin was a fine specimen of a woman. She was all curves like an amphora of sake. Her skin was tanned. Her purple hair reached low under her plump butt. She would wear a massive set of kimonos with an exuberant pink and gold pattern. She had the warmest personality, smiling when she ought to be crying, crying when she ought to be laughing. She would laugh, flirt openly, and tell blatant lies to unsuspecting men. The most obvious of all those lies was when she'd say all she wanted was to get married one day to a proper gentleman. Something Yachiru wasn't seeing happening any time soon. There was no way any men would marry such a loose woman. Shihouin women were all courtesans from mothers to daughters. But well, the girl came from a family of blacksmiths and locksmith, core proletarians, mostly men, where she obviously didn't learn to have any boundaries with the opposite sex. She'd take anyone who would sweet talk her out of her dress. They were so many candidates. Yachiru didn't begrudge her for seeking happiness, but she shouldn't be advising anyone on finding love. No offense, that girl could open any door and any gates anywhere, with even the most inaccessible vaults being no match for her golden sticky fingers. She was strong-willed and dishonest to boot. She was the only other female in the group, and she knew it came in handy when you needed help washing blood out of your clothes... She was a good friend indeed, and this Kenpachi respected her craft._

_Omaeda Tagawa kissed Bibi's hand solemnly before parting with her. He sat next to Tadashi while Bibigosha unceremoniously plopped herself on Kuchiki's lap. Natsuo gave her a wet kiss on her neck, and she laughed like the young sweet thing she was. Those two! Holding his neck, she winked playfully in Yachiru's direction._

_Out of the bunch, Omaeda was the one with the most exquisite features. He was handsome from the depth of his eyes to the gentle expressions of his voice. His face was flawless with crystalline blue eyes that complemented his long dark hair. He was the picture of perfect masculinity always posing with a regal and dignified air. Just like the way he was currently staring at her over the fire. It was a pity he never talked, so she wasn't at all sure he got a tongue agile enough to be put to good use. Her one specific request. She made a mental note of asking Bibigosha later._

_Then they were joined by the only man she truly respected, the only man she'd gladly walk in a fire with. His hair black, with just a hint of grey in his beard, Yamamoto Shigekuni, stood at the edge of their small circle. Yachiru immediately rose to greet him. He looked at her and at every one of them with a satisfied smile. The kid that always follow him around everywhere, Sasakibe, grabbed a silver plate to serve him breakfast. The newcomers followed him suit. They arrived late last night, and she heard they were up discussing with Yamamoto all night. The only one she knew was Hyōsube Ichibē because he joined them on occasions when they were in a campaign. Three men and another woman stood behind him._

_"Well, my friends, I'm glad you could all make it. Some of you are new to the group, some are old friends. I thank everyone from coming from parts of the country, leaving everything behind for this little get-together, I know the journey wasn't easy to some of you. As you know, our dedicated group had been fighting to reestablish order in all the Rukon districts for close than a century now. We can finally start reaping what we sow… But they are still threats we cannot tackle."_

_"Let's cut it short!" Kuchiki said._

_She forgot he had a tendency to be rash and undisciplined. She almost groaned in annoyance as he continued._

_"I came here so we could talk about those freaking hollows. Not only they do so much damage in the living world, that the influx of migrants is at its all-time high. They don't wait for people to have passed over there. They ate any souls. Now, they're hunting further and further into the country, and the King's men are asking a tax to control the invasion of their pets. When people refuse, they take them to their masters, the Vasto Lorde, and they're never seen again. They kill hundreds every week in an endless circle. I had to move my family twice last year, and it's because I could pay for the journey and the taxes. When I left, the king signed a royal decree demanding more sacrifices. This must end, Shigekuni."_

_"He is no king of mine. That Greedy monster! He is the King of the Quincies, his wife is one of them. He loves those people more than us. I heard he dedicated an entire plane of existence where he allowed them to roam free. They lived a prosperous life being daimyo and samurais while we slave away here!" Mariyo said._

_" Fuck those ugly beasts, they kill my father in front of me! And for what, to feed… their King…fuel him with power… They never get enough! I'm tired of this!" Kyouraku Shin said._

_"Everyone calm down! We will come to that particular subject on time, my friends. But now I want you to meet the person I talk to you about. His name is_ _Hyōsube Ichibē, and these are his allies,_ _Nimaiya Ōetsu_ _, Tenjirô Kirinji, Senjumara Shutara. They are my solution to your problem. "_

_"I don't care for your so-called friends: Can they slay hollows and Vasto Lorde? Can they stand against the Red King? Can they do anything at all." Ryujin said flatly._

_"Without a doubt. We can. I will tell you more since Yamamoto told me you guys were the best of the best. So I will entrust you with a little secret. Even Kaijus can die."_

_Everyone looked up._

_"Well, how would you know that?"_

_"I work for one."_

_"What?"_

_"Yes, like he said. We all work for one. He is the architect of all of this. You never asked who's been funding your little punitive expeditions?" The man on his left said._

_"Our master is a man of a few words. But he has been quite generous with you lot."_

_"Thank you, Kirinji, but I was going to come to that if you all had let me finish," Yamamoto said. "Together, we are the best mercenaries in Soul Society, each with a unique set of skills. Today we are already a barrier of sorts against evil. True, we helped thousands. But just like you said, it's not enough. Together we're going to go to the next level. These people are the ones who taught me how to use this. This is a zanpakutō. I'm going to teach all of you how to get your own."_

_"What? Why I've seen you fight with that thing, and I can attest for its greatness, knowing it can make a difference on the field, what do you expect us to do with that? Go over there and kill a bunch of hollows. They will always be more of them, born out of regrets, filled with hunger. Menos Grande as tall as the sky." Shin Kyouraku said._

_"Yeah, you expect us to kill a Vasto Lorde with your magic tricks?" Ryujin added once more._

_"No, I wouldn't expect you to," Yamamoto said firmly._

_They all sighed in relief except Unohana. She knew something more was coming. She was hanging on his every word as if hypnotized. It was an oddly thrilling prospect the fact he was going to say. This man knew how to directly address her soul._

_"I want us to go and slay the king."_

_For the second time on that day, Sakeba spilled his wine in the fire._

_"What did you just say?"_

_"You heard well. We are gonna go to Hueco Mundo, and we are going to burn that wretched place to the ground. We are going to replace the king."_

_"Huh?" It was all most of them could utter._

Unohana jumped startled as she felt Jūshirō's lips on hers.

"You seemed so far away; it was too tempting. Shunsui is in the building. So long for peace! We can expect they barge here in less than three minutes! You know him, he doesn't have much restraint."

"I'm sorry. I keep thinking about the past."

He smiled; his face more relaxed than she'd seen him in days. It suits him so well to look unbothered. He crossed his arm on his chest, waiting for her to continue. He knew she wanted to say something else.

"You know. Now that I remember, Yamamoto was quite different back then."

"Different?"

"He was hopeful. We were all hopeful, but he was really optimistic."

Jūshirō barely had time to register what she said. The light in her eyes changed suddenly. Recess was over. He blinked, and she was dressed, her hair braided. She gave him a small, demure smile. Immediately understanding the shift of mood, Jūshirō cleaned the rest of the room in a blink. He was picking a lamp off the floor when Shunsui came in without knocking, Nanao in tow.

He froze with mirth in his eyes, pretending to be sorry.

" Oh! Ju-chan… Sorry, didn't know you had company. Unohana-taicho, good day to you!"

"Good day to you, Shunsui."

"Am I interrupting something?" He said with his usual exuberant style.

" Not at all," Retsu said, tilting her head on the left, her eyes sparkling with mirth. She was the picture of modesty and innocence.

" I was just finishing Ukitake's annual check-up."

She said with a straight face. Jūshirō tried hard not to laugh. He nodded. The bookshelf was still oddly unbalanced, and she was standing in front of a torn painting Jūshirō forgot to put away. Yet, she was putting so much conviction behind her words that it may as well have been the truth.

Nanao was adjusting her glasses on her nose with a blush. Something wasn't quite right here. They were days she absolutely loved her job. But usually, on those same days, she felt the gap between captain and vice-captain acutely. Every day though, she missed her Ran-chan a little bit more. She was trying to avoid staring at Ukitake-taicho's amazingly defined chest. He seemed to have forgotten he was naked. Oh! Rangiku would have loved this angle. A new edition of the captain calendar was in order. ASAP!

Retsu cleared her throat. Nanao turned even redder, feeling Unohana's firm gaze on her. Damn, she was spotted.

"Oh, it's a bit crowded here. I'm definitely waiting outside, Taicho."

"You do that, Nanao-chan. I will miss you. I'm missing you already." Shunsui said.

Her captain was such a goofball.

"No, you're not. Stop it!"

"I'm glad you feel better, Ise-fukutaicho," Retsu said.

"Yes, thank you, Unohana-Taicho."

Nanao waved happily before leaving.

"So, everything is fine?" Shunsui asked, staring at his best friend.

Ju-chan nodded with a smile.

"You're still dying?"

"Yup."

"Good. Good. Wonderful."

The door slammed open again to let Momo in. Shunsui had his hands up in the air. He wasn't responsible for this one.

"Oh! Ukitake-taicho… Unohana-taicho! Kyouraku-taicho! Sorry! Sorry! Didn't know you were all here? I was just… Nevermind… I was searching for you, Unohana-taicho! It's that new captain. She is with Kira… He is in such bad shape. He was just about to go in surgery. But she is delaying his care for no good reasons. I'm worried."

"I'm coming, Momo-chan. Shunsui, can I expect a captain council soon?"

"Yup, Yama-jii is 'en route.' He had last minutes arrangements to make. Meeting's going to go down here. This place is bigger than I thought it would be. Nice office space. A couple of nice bedrooms too. Very cozy."

"Was that all Captain Kyouraku?"

"No. Obviously, Council is mandatory for every captain cleared for combat. I'm counting on you then, Unohana-Taicho."

"Wonderful. I shall check on Kira-Kun then. Who was he fighting? Do we know?" She said with a gentle smile.

"Gin. It's bad, I heard. He escaped. No Surprise here. Toshiro found Kira barely breathing after his encounter with his former captain… Again, that was predictable. A little less predictable is the fact Toshiro somewhat disappeared too. No words if Gin is alive or dead." Shunsui said matter-of-factly.

"Toshiro, disappeared?" Jūshirō frowned.

"The most amazing Vanishing act in history."

"Well, at least the day promised to be lively," Unohana said amiably.

"Well, when can I expect my annual check-up?" Shunsui ventured.

Her smile faded, replaced by her grim features.

"Nevermind, I feel so good. I have never felt so great! Age is nothing but a number!"

Jūshirō was trying hard to not burst into laughter. Retsu shook her head slightly with an indulging smile.

"Ju-chan, let's do that again another time." She said before leaving.

"What did she mean by that?"

"I don't know. We just reminisced about old times." Jūshirō said mischievously.

"Why are you so lucky with the ladies when I clearly got the good looks?"

"That's not true. Even your mother thought you were ugly as a baby, Shunsui."

"I should have never invited you back home. Ne, you can tell me, is it because you're pulling the 'I'm dying card" every time. You look at them straight in the eye and target their hearts..."

"I've been dying ever since I was born. I cannot help it. It's part of my charm. You could try it. We can certainly trade places."

"Longest suicide note in history. Not for me. My point exactly."

"Don't be a jerk. Yachiru-chan is above that. We talked about the originals."

"Really… She never talked about that time. I love history lessons."

"You had an affair with the history teacher at the academy. That's so not the same."

"True. So, did you guys found anything in the past that could help us deal with this mess."

"Not really, but considering the circumstances, I think she needed to open up. I needed it too."

"Can't you guys call me when that happens?"

"Shunsui…"

"I was stuck with that ice queen!"

"Dengeki? She seemed… efficient."

"Efficient doesn't buy you a good time, ask Nanao. And hell, that woman is cold. I'm not volunteering again."

"Did you do it?"

"Yeah. Found it. Piece of cake. How was it on your side of things?"

"I'm not gonna answer that no matter how many times you ask."

"Really? No details?"

"Byakuya said he will tell her when the time comes."

Shunsui frowned.

"Huh? Byakuya said that?"

Jūshirō nodded.

"He said that with a straight face?"

Jūshirō yawned loudly.

"Yes, I was staring into his eyes. Deeply manly moment. I recall I shivered. You want more details?"

Shunsui made a face.

"What?"

"Is everybody getting laid around here but me?! I hate this job!"

"You know you're being ridiculous."

"Well, we could die tomorrow."

" So, we're going to war. Yama-jii decided."

"Seems like it to me. What was bothering you, Ju-chan? Be honest."

"I'm deeply enjoying myself. Is it bad?" He said sarcastically.

"Who's a good boy? Good boy? I heard Rukia's going to be fine. Who's gonna get a new vice-captain soon? Yeah! Yeah! That's my boy…"

"I don't want her… I'm not sure she had that in her…"

"The girl just destroyed an Arrancar. The first one, you and Byakuya could pretend it was a fluke, this one is the real deal. I saw the tape. Inhibitors still on. She still kicked ass. What a day to be alive!"

"She is very young."

" Somebody is being unfair. Very unfair!"

"I don't need a vice-captain."

"I don't need to get laid. See what it's like to hear some half-hearted lie!"

"It's already so messy. Gin. Ichigo. Toshiro."

"Kaien? Is it about Kaien?"

" I'm tired of watching people I care about get hurt."

"Oh my! I knew it! You're depressed! That was Yachiru-chan's depressed look. I knew it! I knew something was up! I sensed it. Yet, I was not here to take advantage of it. "

"Shunsui…"

"We need sake to make up for it!"

"We're on duty, Shunsui. You said it yourself council will start soon."

"We need it even more. Trust me. The old man has a plan, and I know there's zero chance we will approve of it."

He opened the door.

"Nanao, my brave vice-captain, my Sweet Nanao, find us the finest bottle of saké and tell Keikosuki-chan to fire up that kitchen. I'm starving. You know your captain can't work or focus when he is thirsty and hungry. I would eat you right now, but there are so many witnesses."

Nanao blushed, then she groaned in annoyance. How dare he talk to her like that in public?

"Scones would be nice indeed. Some real tea too." Jūshirō admitted.

Nanao nodded.

"I'm on it."

Jūshirō turned to Shunsui.

"What would I do without you?"

"Fortunately, you will never get to know since you're gonna be the first to go."

"That's mean we've just established that women like me more. You die first!"

* * *

**Reiichi**

Zero division Commander

Aka Prince Masahiro

The king made him a leader, a soldier, a spouse, and a father. Most people would be surprised to know he asked for none of it and would exchange it all just to see his sister again.

* * *

Audiomachine - Warlords [Heroic, Battle, Orchestral Music]

Flying between a succession of colossal golden columns aligned in disturbingly perfect symmetry, the phoenix opened his flamboyant beak. Reiyon was running. Well, she was using shunpo, dashing through the seemingly endless corridor. She froze. She got lost again. Yup, she was trying to go to the Red Chamber, and she already got lost twice on her way to the most secret room in the palace. The blinding lights of the imposing crystal chandeliers, the sparkling "reiasekki" stained glass windows, the castle was a monument of art. She studied the tapestries of the rice paper partitions. Those giant frescoes represented the Origin of the world before the age of Men. It told the tale of the creation of seven kingdoms and their unification... The choice of the First Spirit God Guardian… The war between kingdoms…

She focused. She could sense activity on the left. So even though she came from the left door from the garden, she continued that way. She had learned that the roads here didn't quite connect logically together, the path could lead you astray or take you straight to where you should be. It was one of the idiosyncrasies she had to live with around here, the fact that sometimes this place didn't make a lick of sense.

She found Ego and Furuichi before she realized she also found her destination and the giant double doors of the Red Chamber. It was an elaborate monument forged in bones and sturdy reiasekki. Gold leaves intricately linked together to form an arch around the door. Skeletal arms crossed together, defending a secret. It was a common belief that the door was red because the King painted it with the blood of the King's enemy.

"Am I late? I can't believe I'm late."

"You are?" Furuichi frowned.

"We've met before. I'm Hikifune Kirio, number four, Shihouin-Sama."

He didn't look too moved and kept shaking his head and cleaning his nails with a pointed dagger.

"I'm the housekeeper! At least that's what you said, the first time we saw each other." She smiled. She remembered a friendlier number seven.

It still didn't ring a bell.

" He is messing with you. He has the memory of a goldfish, but he always remembers a pretty face."

Kirio turned to Ego. She remembered this antisocial too.

"You're tall." Ego said. "It's quite unusual but not unpleasant. I didn't remember you were that tall."

"I'm really not."

"She is. She is very tall."

"I'm not."

Furuichi and Ego gave each other an amused look.

"You are both messing with me now. I'm falling right into it." Kirio finally guessed.

Furuichi let out a boisterous laugh. Ego smirked too. Old men!

" Not too bright this one. But you have a cute face. Try not to get killed, kid. No, you're not too late to get killed."

Kirio smiled at that when she noticed Reiichi was standing by the wall, his back turned to them, his nodachi against the wall. He was seemingly staring intently at the sun in the undisturbed blue sky. She was about to approach him when Furuichi grabbed her arm. He silently shook his head.

"He is not with us." He whispered in her ear.

 _"You didn't even ask for the list."_ He recalled the last world of the majesty.

His tranquil appearance was nothing but a façade. One eye was red, and the other swimming in darkness. Both pupils jumped frenetically, his iris dilating. The balcony was shaking almost imperceptibly. He could see further than the artificial sun. He could see behind the curtain of clouds. He spread his mind to race the stars. The stars were flickering like jewels in his consciousness. He jumped in the river of time. Replaying over and over the last words of Tadashi Ichinose. Watching him as he wrote his last will on a scroll twenty-five years ago. The leader of the Zero Squad went back in time trying to find what started this all. It could not be Tadashi reaching to gather his little girl in his arms, crouched before the King's bedroom chamber. He watched Ichinose lift that child in the air repeatedly with the same relieved expression. His Suki was back safe and sound. Going back in time, he stood by as Tadashi search for this Suki all over the place. That wasn't it. He saw the toddler play hide and seek with a sister. Reichi went even further, catching a glimpse of his beloved sister before she faded away. Even if he couldn't remember her face, he remembered she was dressed like a warrior queen, carrying a bow. She was running away. For a second, his focus split, and he turned to look in her direction. She was running toward her destiny. Going back in time, he watched Tadashi bidding her goodbye. She was…

His focus painfully shifted again as he went back to Tadashi. He went further to the origin of things. Tadashi was playing with something in his hand. Something that was not his. It was a crown made of bones and fossilized wood. He stood in front of a giant painting surrounded on either side by thirteen mercenaries in white Shihakusho. Pushing the doors, made of opal and marble, wide open, he walked into a room dimly-lit by a frozen-in-time crescent moon. The painting was torn so that the faces of the models couldn't be seen. It was a traditional representation of an Emperor with his two children. Blood prints were everywhere on the white wall. He came to stand above the corpse lying on the ground, hacked in tiny pieces, their thirteen swords leaking on the marble floor.

He went back again. The thirteen mercenaries faded. The beast sat at a table finishing the soup that was served to him, with delish, his frightening fangs gleaming.

"You've come to watch or gloat? That is profoundly like your kind."

Reiichi frowned. He turned to see who the shadow was addressing. It seems it was only the two of them. He came to stand at the end of that table. Hollows and Vasto Lorde's corpses piled in the courtyard started fading as the enemy gained ground.

"You traveled far, my liege." He said while sucking on some unidentified bone.

"You can speak to me? You can see me?"

The red King smirked, his fangs gleaming. It wasn't really a question.

"You think this story will ever end differently. I'm afraid not, brother. It's almost laughable."

"I am not your brother," Reiichi said.

"You're not? Let me guess ! You're one of the puzzle pieces. You believe you are your own person. You believe you are different. Better... than him… Better than all of us. You believe this will end differently this time, just like those guy outside."

He said nothing. He looked at his surroundings. The king grinned. His features were so familiar. The thought was suddenly haunting.

"Does anything look familiar to you?"

Reiichi frowned, tears of blood running down.

"Why am I here?"

"Like Hell, I know. I'm positively starving, brother. It's like I haven't eaten in centuries." He said, licking the bowl. "This taste so good."

"How did I make it here? I was following one destiny… Ichinose's … This is impossible."

"Is it, brother? Is it really?"

"Tell me what I am doing here!" He suddenly roared.

The Red King shifted on his grand chair, amused.

"We've been at it for a long time. You and me? Like a band of madmen! When only one of us can break the wheel. A guardian born of flesh and blood. Will have died three times. Will ascend all through the Angel Rebellion. Will gather the angels under one banner and will kill us all, destroying this universe. Simple."

"I…"

"It was the Spirit God who took you to me. It's trying to tell you a story, brother. Why do you not seize it? The moment? The opportunity?"

He opened the palm of his hand slowly, and Reiichi could only catch a glimpse of the Spirit God...

" I don't want to be like you. I know it corrupted you. All it does is corrupt you."

"See, you're not the one brother. Why do I know? You don't have the slightest understanding. Corrupting me. No. It gave me anything I wanted. It filled me with pride, joy, and purpose."

"I don't believe you."

"Liar! You want to believe me. Wearing that crown, as they say, is all you ever wanted. It is everything you imagined in your head. Everything you cannot fathom. To really create out of nothing. To harness that kind of power. To love. Hate. Destroy. Relish in power. And taste the fruit of your legacy. A real legacy. Isn't that why that girl ran away? She wanted a taste of real."

Reiichi's face contorted with pain and disgust.

"I know you want to know what it is that will make her run away from you? What will she run away from? It's all that power. It frightened some. But not her. She wasn't frightened by the power. No, she was your strongest part. She was the closest you came to be a threat to me, indeed. She knew she could wield and change the world with it. But she thought. Why change it at all? She loved everything in it. Except staying in that place, being with you…"

The Red King smirked cruelly. Reiichi groaned like a wounded beast. He slammed the table with his hands to roar his answer.

"You think you know anything about my sister, you beast? You will die in a minute or so. They're going to stand over your corpse while my father will take over your crown."

The creature smirked.

" Is that what happened? Am I really dead, though? Is that why you came for a visit?"

The shadow figure departed into a boisterous laugh. When the door slammed open all of a sudden and a group of soldiers barged in. They traversed Reiichi's body like he was just a ghost.

"They are here, your Majesty, breaching the walls as we speak. We don't know how long we can hold them back. They have weapons we've never seen before, using magic and soul bending.

The shadow only grinned wider. The creature suddenly rose from the table, with the first soldier jumping out of the way swiftly. The second one was pushed swiftly with the white table against the whole. They slammed into the wall, the table exploding on impact. Turning to the soldier painfully gathering himself on the ground, he said with a commanding tone.

"You get my blood out of these walls. My bloodline shall survive the test of time. They will witness the end of another era, and I will be living forever."

The soldier struggled to get back on his feet and ran out of the room. Reiichi turned to take a good look at his face. He froze. That was… This man looked like… Aizen Sousuke. Aizen opened the door and vanished in the hallway. Slowly the mercenaries entered the room and surrounded the beast. A subtle drop of blood stained the ground where it stood. It stumbled backward, catching himself from falling. It sneered sardonically.

"Who are the braves among you? The one who will embrace death first. Smile, this is your day to shine. Death is not shameful. It's not revengeful. It is Sorrow and Pain. It is Regrets. All the things you have yet to do, all the feelings you've yet to experience, Death is the best that could happen to you. Death is a revelation. The true Death is what you all should aspire, mortals. There is so much beauty in death. "

He said, brandishing the Spirit God. The ground was shaking where Reichi stood. It gleamed with such an unnatural powerful shine that all the people in the room had to cover their eyes, including Reiichi.

"Father?"

Rei Ichi's vision blurred suddenly, and he was sucked in a spiral back in his own corporal body. His hand crisped on the balcony. Dark fumes gathered at his feet. Jerking away from the vision, his mind crashed back in his own body with a thud, pain shooting in every nerve endings. He lowered his gaze to the ground, and with a feral growl, he turned the balcony to dust.

Kakira jumped away the same way the soldier had earlier, watching him with a mix of worry and incomprehension. She was staring at him expectantly. He groaned. He did not have time to see anything of value before she interrupted his Henzai[1] state. Barely sparing her a glance, he turned to see who arrived. He locked gaze with Reiyon curiously. She stared back for the first time.

There was a rumbling of the doors. Reijû appeared out of nowhere just at that moment, providing for the perfect diversion. He looked unbothered as always, and not at all like someone who just traveled through planes of existence in a matter of seconds, such was his Denshi level. Denshi [2] was a technique that allowed long-distance travel in minimal time that inexperienced neophytes would compare to Shunpo. However, the difference in speed between a Denshi user and the best master of Shunpo was like the difference between light and sound. There was like an ocean separating the two. The most experienced Denshi users could run so fast that it would dematerialize their bodies and thus, they could travel for miles or even between dimensions in just a moment. Reijû had long been a master in the art of displacement to the point that it was said that he could appear in multiple instances at the same time.

"I am not too late, after all." He said.

He meant it as a joke even if there was not a trace of humor on his expressionless face. He despised those gatherings. For him, they were a massive waste of his time. The leader glared in his direction. It was no secret that the "brothers" got along like cats and dogs. In They faced each other in a duel once with long-lasting consequences. Reiichi limped over long distances, and Reijû hid under his formal clothes an ugly scar on his chest.

"If everyone is here…"

Reini appeared then, slow in conception, her image fluctuating several seconds in the air before it stabilized in this realm. She was also a Denshi Master, having mastered the most graceful "landing"[3] technique of Denshi users. It was said seeing her appeared was akin to seeing the apparition of an angel. The only testament of the effort this demanded was the ground undulating under her feet and the reisekki window cracking slowly. Reiyon felt a blazing hot breeze on her face. She gritted her teeth like a true soldier. Reiichi, Reijû and Reini stood there almost aligned and it was rather uncomfortable a feeling. Even Kakira didn't emit this much Gamma Gosei. Reini stood up gracefully. Her hair, the color of the crescent moon, was shimmering and flying away animated by an invisible breeze. If she was virtuous and modest in a demeanor, her dress was not. Her kimono alone could have supported Seven nations of men. The obi was made with white Dragon Rat leather. The necklines were lined with albino tiger fur and adorned with reisekki. It was an authentic handmade Ichinose kimono, woven and embroidered by four sets of hands, custom-made to fit a queen. Reiyon stared at the expensive garment with a hint of jealousy. Furuichi nodded with mirth.

"Your wage does not cover this." He said as if he read his young colleague's mind.

Her skin was as pale as the Hierro of an Espada. Her facial features were defined with blue eyes like shards of ice. She opened her mouth and black fog came out. Her eyes turned black. Reiichi reacted immediately, his eyes injected with black ink. Reijû was the same. Reiyon turned curiously to Kakira, but the little girl was looking on expectantly like her.

"What is this?"

"Black fog also called the Effluve of Hell. Remnants of souls they ingested." Kakira said.

Reiyon turned to her immediately with wide eyes.

"I guess you didn't know. I think it is somehow taboo. You ever wonder why the Kaiju need to push the cycle?

Reiyon shook her head.

"Every creature got a diet to follow." Kakira shrugged."They are greeting each other in the way only the purest of blood can." She whispered.

Kirio frowned. Both Ego and Furuichi nodded.

"You can't?"

"I'm not pureblooded, Kirio. I'm… 'adopted.'"

"What?"

"Pureblood cannot have kids, Reiyon."

"But, you told me…"

"Grandfather created me with the spirit god and gave me to these people. I'm like a 'commodity' to them. I'm part of a deal, a bad one, or so I heard."

Reiyon's lips opened again, confused. She wanted to say that it didn't feel that way when Reiichi mentioned Kakira to her earlier. He seemed almost proud at that time. But she could see Reiichi's initial rejection hit her friend's spirit deep.

Ego and Furuichi bowed politely in front of Reini. With an elegant hand gesture, Izayoi signaled them not to disturb themselves for her. She held out a hand to Kakira, who begrudgingly approached. She rapidly stroke her 'adoptive daughter's hair and face with a smile. Then before a daughter could even take comfort in the gesture, she pushed her away to turn to Reiichi.

"Reisan, sent me a message, my love. Our friend is too troubled with the peculiar situation in his garden to come to our tea party. His words, not mine. He is not coming but sends his regards."

Ego gasped. Furuichi shook his head, unbelievable. She continued with a shrug.

"I guess he thought by making me the messenger, he gained a better chance of surviving your wrath, Reiichi. He is clearly deluded. Forgive him, my Sun." She said with a cold smile.

Reiichi gritted his teeth. Kakira was frowning, visibly unhappy with the cold greetings she received.

"He is not the only one absent, I see. How embarrassing! Where's the cook?" Reijû said, annoyed.

"He is not coming." Reiichi simply said.

"What are you talking about? He is not coming? I'm only here because he generally brings a couple of sweet delicacies in these boring gatherings. His cooking is the only thing that doesn't make me sick in this world. You cannot expect me to share space with these 'mouthbreathers' sober like I have nothing better to do like I have no standards. "

"I said he is not coming, Masataka."

"Brother-in-law, for my part, I've been waiting for this moment forever. To be in such wonderful company! Your absence would have been deeply felt. I don't want to be on the verge of witnessing the Great Collapse without my amazing… Family by my side."

Masataka turned to her with a grim face. Inside, though, he was rejoicing at her words. He always was fond of Izayoi.

" Masahiro, your lovely spouse is always such a delight like the moon in the sky. You are fortunate, indeed."

"He is… You are my favorite brother for noticing."

"She is more like a disease you cannot get rid of. She is always late as a bonus. Let's move, people!"

Masahiro rolled his eyes and came to stand between Kirio and Kakira.

"I love you too, my Sun. I swear men get so grumpy when they haven't eaten in a while. "

"Princess Izayoi, you looked amazing as always," Furuichi said, shifting the subject.

She nodded gratefully.

"Thank you, Furuichi. It's good to see you too, old friend. Ego, you too. You look… What's the word? Oh! Exhausted!"

"Princess…You're too kind. Work will do that to you." Ego said sarcastically.

"Really?" She frowned and turned to Kakira.

"Never exert yourself too much, darling. Our beauty is everything. That's what my mother used to tell me. You don't want to look like these old mortal souls fading, regretting, and declining. I think she was a bit jealous of my younger brother and me... She was also quite… homicidal in the end. Still, all motherly advice should be taken in great consideration. You bring them everywhere with you. Mothers know best. Right, my Sun?"

She turned to Reiichi, expectantly.

"Of course, Moon of my life. Mother knows best, and it's time." Reiichi grunted sarcastically.

Did he say that while looking straight into her eyes? Kirio wondered. It was like he was deliberately pulling her in an inside joke. Must have been her imagination. She blushed.

With that, they all stood in half a circle, their left wrist raised toward the door, as their soul marker shone brightly. Each Zero division member was dotted with a soul marker, a mysterious artifact, imparted onto their bones by the Soul King, allowing them not only entry in the royal palace, but to be followed everywhere. The ground shook as the hinges started to move, the lock falling back into place, its skeletal arms opening slowly.

Hidden CItizens - Für Elise (Beethoven Cover - Epic Trailer Version)

They entered the room parting around a central lower table, kneeling to their seat, each arranging their weapon on the table. Kirio arranged her katana on the sword display in front of her while Izayoi and Kakira put down respectively her blue wakizashi and the teddy bear she walked with. Furuichi, Ego, and Masataka similarly arranged themselves. The only one who propped his nodachi against the wall and the last to kneel down.

They all waited for the doors to patiently lock them in with a sickening noise. They were in session.

" Without preamble, let's start with the bad news. Tadashi Ichinose is dead, and according to Ego, someone has been tampering the Reality Engine from downstairs. There's a squirmish in soul Society which is causing great instabilities. I don't really care about the details. But seems like there is a need for us to deal with this Aizen situation."

There was a collective gasp, mainly coming from Kirio.

"That is not the bad news," Masahiro said.

"What is the bad news then?" Kirio said. It seemed to her that it was already horrible enough that he just said one of them had died. He even talked of something messing up the reality engine, the thing controlled by the Spirit God itself. What could be worse?

"The King is awake and he is hungry." He said.

It was Izayoi's turn to gasp, her hands over her mouth. Kirio turned to her with a frown. A lone tear streamed down the pale cheek of the princess, her expression deformed with horror.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Henzai state. It's a high-level meditation technique that allows users to enter a state of omniscience, traveling through time and space. It demands such high skills and reiatsu, it is generally admitted that only pureblood members of the Royal family are capable of this, and actually only a selected few at that.
> 
> [2] Denshi- literally "Dematerialization of body and mind", a displacement technique similar to shunpo and Sonido only a hundred times faster. It allows for travel through planes of existence, dimensions in a matter of seconds. Like shunpo, it is based on the speed of its user. The speed that a user can then reach, 500 times higher than a Shunpo master. How does it work? It's the consequences of a chain reaction that enables the dematerialization of atoms, that facilitates movement over very long distances. So all a Denshi Master's expertise is to succeed in controlling his speed and constantly maintaining a high level of concentration in order to avoid the disintegration of his spiritual envelope. Denshi is as dangerous as running with an atomic bomb in one hand. Its learning is laborious. Kaiju like Reiichi will learn it easily.
> 
> [3] To master the Denshi technique, one has to also learn the three sacred movements. "Strolling, Falling, and Landing." Each represents a characteristic of the discipline. Strolling is the act of casually hopping from one plane of existence to the other. It is managed by concentration and meditation. Falling is the act of riding the elements ( for example air and water in the form of clouds) to diminish the impact of one's fall during interdimensional travel. Landing is the hardest part to master. It's the act of maintaining the integrity of one's soul after the impact.  
> \----------------------------  
> Next chapter=Mr. Nice & Mr. Ice


	44. Mr. Ice & Mr. Nice

* * *

**Tōshirō Hitsugaya**

Captain of the tenth division

He did not disobey any direct orders. Ichimaru did die several times on the road that connected hell to heaven.

* * *

He was dragging behind some dead weight, and it was not by cruelty. He had tried earlier to lift Gin up and carry him on his back. But it had proved extremely difficult to cross planes of existence with him on his back.

In the meantime, his wounds had reopened to push Shinsō's pieces out of his body, leaving him with no choice than to drag that extra luggage behind him. That was either that or dying of exhaustion before he even reached his destination. He had been wary all the way, especially while crossing the forest of Menos. Gin had been conscious enough to guide him through a couple of secret passageways in the desert and under the palace. Toshiro had never been to the Hueco Mundo even less at Las Noches, you could say that came in handy.

Tōshirō had never been in the hollow fortress without reinforcements. He knew that the trip would be full of twists. Everything could go sour fast. Because who honestly could tell it was a good idea to build a giant maze of a palace on moving sand dunes no less? Ah yes, Aizen.

Little did he know that was quite incorrect a statement.

He hesitated between five armored doors. There were no inscriptions, nothing that could help him get situated.

"Ichimaru?"

He got no answer.

" Oi, Ichimaru! We don't have time for that! It's not your time yet!"

He crouched over Gin, pausing at how awful he looked, his skin as pale and grey as a cadaver. Gin slowly opened a bloodshot eyelid; he turned his head to the right. Toshiro looked up, just a wall. That wasn't an answer.

"Over there?"

He pointed to one door to the right. But for all answers, Gin only closed his eyes again. He exhaled and went still.

"No, no, no ... It's still too early to die. I'm not done with you yet! You put us in this mess! You will clean it up!"

He pulled Gin halfway up and shook him quickly to get him out of his torpor.

"Teme Ichimaru, you have to wake up! We passed the Garganta ... the forest… and then the passageway under the dune that never moves ... We went through the Silver west Gate. We're in. What do we do after?"

No reaction. He put him down the floor again. Although it seemed impossible after going through all this, crossing two dimensions, Gin was still bleeding, covering the marble floor with blood. Massaging his chest rapidly in a circle, he focused on transferring some reiatsu to his worst enemy.

Only it wasn't working. Shit! He was so tired by his own regeneration process; he could barely maintain himself. Toshiro completely kneeled in defeat. Then in a last surge of rebellion, he punched Gin's chest once then twice.

"Come on. We're not done yet! Stay with me!"

No reaction.

"If you don't snap out of it, I can't save her. Come on, asshole! You can do it!"

Nothing. He checked his pulse again. He had none. Gin was no longer breathing. Toshiro sat down in defeat. He grabbed his head harshly, trying to catch his breath in vain. What the hell did he do wrong? He bit his lips not to start crying just out of sheer desperation and exhaustion. He stared at the five doors. How was he supposed to find his way in this giant labyrinth? How was he supposed to know which door to go through now? How? Gin was…

He expected him to fade anytime. Toshiro felt the tears blurred his vision. He wasn't crying for Gin, though. That guy deserved to feel every inch of the pain he inflicted on Toshiro's lieutenant. Still, he wondered if he could find Rangiku without Shinsō, without Gin. He was trying to remember how he got there anyway. How he could really think that would have worked.

_Gin released Shinsō again and let a skeletal hand close around Hitsugaya's left ankle._

_"Go ahead ... Go ahead, kill me. But I beg you. Save Rangiku."_

You could judge him all you want; Toshiro was in shock after that. Behind him, attached to his own scabbard, Rangiku's zanpakutō radiated an ultimate sparkle.

**Hidden Citizens - I (Just) Died In Your Arms (Epic Powerful Vocal)**

Back then, Toshiro understood that he had fulfilled his mission. Gin was out of order. The world was safe. He could leave it there and go on his merry way.

Except he could not.

Leave it there, in fact.

As if the story was going to stop here …

_"How? How to save her? How am I supposed to find her? I don't even know where they took her."_

_"Shinsō ..."_

_Tōshirō frowned. Gin's grip loosened on his ankle as he was fighting against slipping in and out of consciousness. He stooped to free himself from the former captain's grasp._

_"What did you just say? About Shinsō? About your zanpakutō?"_

_Gin fought back to stay awake. He took a deep breath._

_"The gift..."_

_"What?"_

_"Necklace ..."_

_"Her necklace?"_

_"Shinsō…"_

_"The necklace ... Shinsō ..."_

_Was Gin talking about the necklace that Rangiku constantly wore around her neck? It made perfect sense. Tōshirō had never seen Rangiku without. Was it a gift?_

_He froze. It had been made in Shinsō's blade? His eyes grew wide in realization._

_"She's in ... Hueco Mundo." Gin finished breathlessly._

_Tōshirō looked up at the sky._

_"All right, I know what I have to do. I don't have time to lose! But how to open a Garganta? They will never allow the transfer. Urahara might. How to contact Urahara?"_

_Drawing on his resources he didn't have, Gin grabbed Shinsō back. Startled by his sudden move, Toshiro jumped out of the way, drawing on his zanpakutō. Gin opened his eyes weakly. Black ink leaked in his left pupil. He closed his eyes again. His hand shaky, he broke Shinso's blade, blood dripping on the ground. The ground started shaking. His lips were moving in a silent incantation, but he was too far away to hear. Toshiro was suddenly trying to maintain his balance. Failing miserably, he stumbled on his knees. He felt sick. He was nauseous._

_"What are you doing? Stop that."_

_"I'm calling them."_

_Tōshirō's eyes widened in surprise. Who was he talking about? Who was he talking to?_

_"You mean ... You mean you planned that! Teme, Ichimaru ... You bastard!"_

_His lips scarlet, Gin smirked._

_"Nice pets! That's it! Come to daddy!"_

_He whispered to no one in particular, his eyes unfocused and glazed. In a sound of glass, the gray sky crackled. Tōshirō felt an uncomfortable shiver run down his neck. He frowned, suddenly fidgeting nervously on his feet. The ground kept shaking. The sky of the Soul Society cracked open in an obscene creak. He stared at it in shock. A yellowish light enveloped them suddenly. Tōshirō felt alternately hoisted in the air and nailed to the ground. The claw of a first Menos Grande widens the crack. Another put his nose out playfully. One of them pushed the others and spread open the tear with one hand._

_"Good boys…" Gin muttered, his eyes closed._

_"Gin…"_

_"They don't bite."_

_Another Menos passed his head out of the crack. Then, they swarmed around the opening, widening their bony legs. Tōshirō saw the ground moving away as the square of land on which they stood was hoisted towards the portal with Negación._

_"Not that I can't be sure. To tell the truth, it was Tōsen, the specialist! I guess they are relatively pleasant creatures when you get to know them." He sneered._

Toshiro blinked as he looked at their surroundings. He was surrounded by thousands of Menos Grande in a giant cavern with white glittery stalactites. Even with his short stature, he never really experienced more feeling like an ant than at this moment.

"This is…"

He only heard about the place where the Menos gather at the academy, even if It was more a rumor and a legend back then than anything else. Nobody had seen it. It wasn't well documented.

"The place called the forest of Menos. It's where they're born."

Toshiro grabbed Gin's collar, shoving him hard.

"Teme, you brought us into a trap. How are we supposed to go through them?"

"I wouldn't do that… If I were you…" Gin said. He looked almost entirely out of it.

Something was heavy in the air, and Toshiro froze. It was suddenly scorching hot around him, temperature reaching a sudden extreme. He looked up, a shiver traveling down his spine.

He realized with horror that all the Menos were all arming their Cero above his head. Toshiro's eyes widened.

"Though Kaname is the one who actually fed them, for some reason, they like me more. What can I say! They have good taste!" Gin said. Toshiro took a step back.

"We need to move." He started to hoist Gin on his back, and he was heavier than he thought. When he lifted him, he was surprised to see the Menos's attitudes shift automatically. They were all bowing down, parting, getting out of his path. What Madness! He froze.

"There's a quick way into the palace…There's a place when you follow the invisible stream… The Menos will lead you… when the moon… naps…There's a leafless tree. There, the dune won't move. Knock twice. I will just rest for a while. Don't wake me up till you make it there…." He said just before falling unconscious again.

Thus, Toshiro found himself walking the corridors of Las Noches. He blinked as he witnessed a strange phenomenon. One can argue that everything about this mission had been strange and disturbing. Yet, as he sat there, hopeless. He realized Gin's blood was pouring in one odd direction. It was streaming toward the far-right door. He rechecked Gin, but he still looked dead. He followed the stream of blood and faced the door. He heard a locket being pulled, and the door open in front of him. Picking up Gin again, he started to cross a high-rise interior courtyard. He pushed the second door on his left on instinct and resumed his journey. He soon found himself facing a massive staircase. He watched its thousand steps with a grimace. _What demented architect had conceived the plans of this palace? Aizen, yes ..._

He glanced at his burden. Gin. Staircase. Rangiku.

He was tired, but he did not have time to rest. He lifted Gin on his shoulders and climbed the steps four by four. When he reached the top, he laid the body on the ground and started dragging it again. He looked at the room he was in. Part of the walls and the roof were missing. Familiar reiatsu residues were still floating in the air. Ichigo Kurosaki. Ichigo had left his spiritual imprint on all the ruined walls. Through a crack in the bluish dome, he could see the morbid sky of Hueco Mundo. Tōshirō felt a brief relief. He was probably in the right direction if the damage of the last war was visible. He hastened, Gin behind him.

The air became more and more toxic, signaling the proximity of several Arrancars. He did not really have time for a detour. If he could, he would have even dropped Gin there. Moreover, leaving him behind was dangerous. Even in that sad state, he could be of use to their common enemy. Ignoring the potential danger, Tōshirō hastened. In the distance, Tōshirō began to distinguish the silhouettes of two medium-sized arrancars. He grabbed Hyourinmaru's guard with one hand and dragged Ichimaru away with the other, his determination renewed ferociously.

He did not have a choice. He had to win. He did not have time for small fry. Defeat. In one try. Electricity sizzling against the walls. Shadows multiplied on the walls. Tōshirō froze in full swing. The two arrancars were not alone ... There were met by two Espadas. He frowned as a sign of determination. Normally, he would say he needed backup ... a lot of back-ups. But we were not in normal times, and he could only rely on himself.

" Grimmjow JeaggerJacques ..." Tōshirō grumbled. _Great! That animal!_

The little captain resumed his journey while dragging his cargo.

Grimmjow let out a fierce roar. The two arrancars departed from his path eagerly. As he scratched his ear with a certain morbid nonchalance, he moved quickly towards Tōshirō before finally stopping his hands in his pocket.

"Who's asking for him?"

The other Espada stopped behind him. One soft hand was circling his waist protectively.

"Hitsugaya. Toshiro. Captain Hitsugaya Toshiro."

Toshiro observed curiously Grimmjow's left hand was on the guard of the zanpakutō behind him. What was he going to do? Unsheathe that girl's sword maybe? With a smirk, Grimmjow gripped the weapon harder. When Toshiro realized that it was precisely what he was going to do, he almost gasped. Something changed. The tension shifted in the air.

"Nope. Don't ring a bell. I have a terrible memory with names." Grimmjow teased.

His reiatsu was suddenly crushing. What the fuck? His eyes fell on the Espada behind Grimmjow. The crazy reiatsu was emanating from him, sure, but it was her distinct signature, and that was odd. Nel remained oddly motionless.

"I have something to refresh your memory, Espada," Tōshirō shouted, unsheathing his zanpakutō.

The arrancars were kneeling while Grimmjow's eyes turned black with yellow pupils.

"You make one more step, Shinigami. You're dead, wanker."

"Out of my way! I don't have time for this! Bankai! "

"That's my line, asshole!"

Grimmjow smirked, his fangs out. He let out a cynical laugh. He turned to Nelliel.

"Oh! What's it again, Pet?! Oh yeah! _Kishire_... **Gamuza.** "

When Grimmjow unsheathed Gamuza with the same release command as his zanpakutō **Pantera** , and Toshiro released **Hyourinmaru** free from its restraints, everything disappeared under the sheer impact of their colliding spiritual pressure. From walls to columns to "ants and cockroaches," the world turned a blinding white. Toshiro blinked, sensing a presence behind him. Grimmjow hadn't budged from the spot where he stood. But Nelliel… The other one… Wasn't she supposed to be an inoffensive kid? He read all the reports and… Well, needless to say, those reports vastly underestimated the potential of destruction of those two. He was going to pay a hefty price for that mistake.

She was gone from his field of vision in a blink. Toshiro froze. Something metallic was scraping his throat. Blood dripped on his chin for the second time. Nelliel Tu Odelswank was tickling his throat with Grimmjow's Zanpakutō, Pantera. Did she use Sonido? How did she make it past him? How did she make it behind him? She was ten times faster than he was used to. That spiritual pressure…was...

"My mate did warn you. Newlywed and all. He can be quite territorial. You are lucky. I am more reasonable than that. You have ten seconds more to live, Shinigami. Speak fast. Make every second count." She whispered in his ear calmly, her eyes black and her fangs just as sharp.

Toshiro immediately dropped his sword with a sigh. He stared at Gin's body on the ground. _Well, that went well, Gin! Thanks!_

* * *

**Genryūsai Shikeguni Yamamoto**

Commander of Gotei 13

Captain of the first division

For more than a thousand years, he was the one who made the difficult decisions, the painful decisions, the unjust decisions, the arbitrary decisions ... He had seen many soldiers perish at the dawn of their life. He had accompanied many from their birth to their death. Nevertheless, he always remained animated by the sole conviction that the good of the greatest number sometimes passed through the misfortune of just one poor soul.

* * *

"It's been confirmed by my sensors. Hitsugaya has entered the Hueco Mundo. He didn't use a Garganta. He didn't call for backup. It seems more than plausible he received outside help." Mayuri Kurotsuchi said, a bit embarrassed.

He wasn't accustomed to failure.

"Urahara? "

"Said it wasn't him."

Yamamoto was silent at the twelve captain's news. So, his first plan had failed. Eleven Captains of Goteijūsantai were gathered in the huge dining room of the new headquarters. Uncluttered from the cumbersome human furniture, the room was almost as comfortable as the hall of the first division.

"How can you be sure? They could be dead? Have you ever heard of mutual destruction? The blood we found on-site could give strength to that theory." Soi Fon said, her arms crossed

"Do you often bask in the glow of your own stupidity in the morning?"

"Can you answer a damn question for once, Mister I-spent- several- hours- painting-my- face-do-you-not-find-it-cute?" Soi Fon snapped back, testily.

"Can someone do us all a favor and slit that woman's throat!"

"Kurotsuchi, that's not nice. We are trying to cooperate here. We're on the same side." Shunsui groaned, his eyes closed. He was already nursing a headache. He was definitely not drunk enough for this. Jūshirō seemed to agree wholeheartedly. They should have swallowed that fourth bottle just to make sure.

"Well…" Jūshirō sighed. He was having an embarrassing case of Asian flush, his face turning red. "It was a predictable turn of events." He said tiredly, even a bit defiant. So many secrets to keep... Not enough saké to swallow all the lies... Predictable indeed. He winced.

Kyouraku took over and asked gravely.

"For Rangiku, is there still hope? Her condition has not improved in 100 days. But maybe Toshiro thought he could go after the Primeros himself. Maybe he thought he could save her? If there was hope, Toshiro's action could be understood. It could change things."

After a short silent exchange with Yamamoto, she responded by mincing her words like a doctor about to announce bad news to the family of a terminally ill patient.

"I fear the worst. In the absence of care ... It's been 24hours."

""Unohana-taicho?"

"She's been separated from her zanpakutō a long time. It's been unheard of that someone should survive this long in such a case scenario."

Shunsui stared at his commander. The latter barely bat an eyelash. He only shook his head. There goes your answer. The old man sent Hitsugaya to his death, knowing he was the only one who had a chance to get under Gin's skin, given their history. He had a chance in one million to crush Gin. He may have done it. But did he really believe Toshiro wouldn't try to save his lieutenant? It would make sense to join him in his efforts now and hunt them down in Hueco Mundo. Except that wasn't the easier road, the old man may favor.

Jūshirō sighed, following the same trail of thoughts as Shunsui.

"Well, it was predictable a turn of events. Now what?"

**Emotional Bleach OST Collection: Torn Apart**

Shunsui turned to Retsu for confirmation. It seemed more than likely that there was no rescue plan for Rangiku-chan. With a sigh, she lowered her head to confirm. All of the captains observed then a spontaneous minute of silence in honor of Hitsugaya or his lieutenant, everyone but Mayuri Kurotsuchi, of course.

"Somebody should have let me do an autopsy! Now it's too late! You people are a waste of time!"

Retsu sighed again. Keikosuki winced. Byakuya scowled in Mayuri's direction. Komamura growled low. Soi Fon wanted to choke him to death and make it look like an accident. Kenpachi hadn't understood one word of the entire conversation. Dengeki was surprised everyone seemed so attached to that girl when she was just a lieutenant. Shunsui and Jūshirō shook their head in disapproval. Yamamoto was simply scratching the side of his face, uninterested by all their shenanigans.

Byakuya asked at last.

"Can we confirm that Hitsugaya was alive when he passed the Garganta?"

That was also a theory.

"Well, there were several traces of blood on the battlefield. Some belonged to Hitsugaya and others to Ichimaru. The probability is 87.8%, I would say. Ichimaru could have detained him, yes." Soi Fon said.

"Nonsense, there was too much blood on the scene of their duel belonging to Ichimaru. Even if he was still alive, Ichimaru would be the one with the most after-effects of the duel."

Like Byakuya, Yamamoto was concerned that it may have been Gin's deception. That could change the situation entirely. In case, it would be unclear to some. At this point, he couldn't exclude an intervention in Hueco Mundo. Strategically speaking, it would make the most sense. It would be expected. A rescue team could follow in Hitsugaya's steps, and they will take care of the rest from their end. That was a possibility. But honestly, if Gin Ichimaru was already dead, the survival of Rangiku Matsumoto wouldn't be essential to the overall success of the mission. They could just focus on eradicating the Primeros, stopping those thugs for good from trying to free Aizen.

From his wide armchair, Genryūsai nodded absentmindedly before reviewing his troops. Well, he never expected this to all play out like he wanted to anyway. It had been a gamble. True, Hitsugaya Toshiro was the perfect candidate. He made the most sense. He was close enough to the object of affection of the target to unsettle him and take advantage. He had enough potential. Maybe he underestimated his own attachment to Matsumoto. Maybe he didn't. True, he knew there was a possibility Hitsugaya would try to go and rescue his lieutenant himself. Perhaps he even counted on it at some point. Nothing could motivate a soldier more than a desperate situation. It worked for him either way. It's not like he had a perfect scenario in his head where Matsumoto survived this without damage. He saw the bigger pictures, and he foresaw an outcome satisfying enough that it cancels all the risks. He had a war to win. With Gin dead, he had a clear road to victory. Yet, without Hitsugaya here, he couldn't confirm Gin was actually dead. It was a problem. The uncertainty factor was always something to be wary off when on campaign.

He surveyed the room again. Two were missing the call. Abarai Renji was still bedridden. Hitsugaya had deserted. There were also wounded. This was the case of Kuchiki-Taicho. He thought he was so smooth with it, but he could see that Byakuya was slightly dragging his left leg. He also avoided using his right hand. Did he believe he could deceive him? These kids!

Yamamoto suppressed a grunt of impatience. Dengeki-Taicho seemed preoccupied. He stroked his beard slowly. He did not know her enough to get an idea of her daily concerns. However, children must remain children. So, she shouldn't fool herself too. He knew that Izuru-fukutaicho was still in surgery after his foolish but brave attempt to stop Ichimaru. It seemed to be a source of distraction enough that she would longingly stare at the door at times, reaching she was anywhere but here. Her years in the Kido Corps had cultivated her individuality, he knew. The "Necromancers." That's how the Kido Corps member call themselves were people of a different kind. Mostly pragmatic people, cold-blooded people, disciplined people, eager to serve people, focused on their craft, and harnessing power. It was a fiercely competitive place, especially since Hachigen Ushôda's departure. It was easy to see why the young woman had all the trouble in the world to insert herself into the Gotei, which formed even with their dissensions, a great dysfunctional family.

Jūshirō was tired. Usually, he was the one who showed the most enthusiasm in the discussions, but the dark circles under his eyes betrayed him. He hadn't slept last night, which meant that Shunsui and Unohana were probably also worried by his side.

The old man turned his head towards Shunsui. They exchanged a knowing look. Shunsui was the only one who could follow his trail of thinking. He was the only one among them who genuinely realize that to lead tough decisions needed to be made, corners were to be cut, life could be sacrificed. It was the exercise of power. He was accepting. He was going to do the right thing to make up for the weaknesses of his best friend beside him.

Yet the situation was worrying to Yamamoto. Jūshirō did not rest since the beginning of this whole debacle… He realized burdening Jūshirō with the Secret of Ichinose's father's death wasn't the most generous thing he could have done. It weighed on him to have to keep a secret. He avoided looking at Byakuya. Unohana was also preoccupied... He couldn't tell if it was the death of one of the originals that made her sad, or the memories this death invokes in her. He knew that, like Jūshirō, she would never admit it. She was exhausted. Like Jūshirō, she was somewhat fragile.

Kurotsuchi was upset about a situation he did not control. You would have thought it was a good thing. But an upset Kurotsuchi was as dangerous as a happy and fulfilled Kurotsuchi. Displeased, he let himself go to arrogance. Arrogance would lead him to make mistakes. Errors were not acceptable.

Komamura was always in the mood for a just fight. He could thank his faithful friend for making it so easy for him.

With the discovery of the traitor in the ranks of the second division, Soi Fon was in the mood to start a bonfire. Yes, that was probably a good thing.

The conversation refocused around Dengeki, Ukitake, and Kyouraku.

Zaraki Kenpachi scratched his ear, showing the first signs of impatience. Ah! Yes, the impatience of this man was a double-edged knife. It could pacify him as much as it could trigger him. Genryūsai decided to ignore it because the battle would start soon enough.

She was missing. Where was the captain of the fifth? Had she disobeyed a gathering order? No, Suki-chan was there. Hidden between Shunsui and Komamura, Keikosuki Ichinose gesticulated nervously from one foot to the other. By isolating the other sounds in the room, Yamamoto could hear her little heart beating and each intake of breath. Furiously, it banged in her chest, and her reiatsu spread from her in jerky inconsistent flow. Keikosuki-chan! She never changed. What could he do with her?

"We have to find a new strategy. Now that Hitsugaya has deserted our ranks ..."

"What is the procedure?" Dengeki asked. "Should Captain Hitsugaya be considered a traitor?"

A few grimaces in the audience and several raised eyebrows. Dengeki asked the question with no doubt her lieutenant in mind. He had disobeyed the rules by going against Gin Ichimaru and suffered a stinging defeat. What was the attitude towards this type of behavior?

Of course, Hitsugaya still had the confidence of most present. The question was taboo. Yamamoto understood it well. Since they all preferred to wait for his verdict before pronouncing themselves, he took the floor.

"Any breach of the rules and non-respect of the hierarchy will not be tolerated. Nevertheless, the past has taught us that in times of crisis, the decision-making could not suffer the slowness of the administration. It should be noted that it was I, who asked Captain Hitsugaya to confront Ichimaru. We will, therefore, wait for him to observe the development of events. Finally, it seems to me imperative to change strategy."

They all exchanged a surprised look. Shunsui and Jūshirō nodded approvingly. Kuchiki Byakuya frowned. Yamamoto looked around the room before getting up. The reactions were not slow to burst on all sides.

"Sotaicho, we are almost ready!" Komamura wondered. "Is it wise?"

"As wise as the prophetic words of a mad man. " He replied whimsically.

"It is clear that the actions undertaken by Hitsugaya have changed the game a little. But changing strategy at the last minute?" Shunsui said.

"We will join Hitsugaya in the Hueco Mundo?" Kurotsuchi asked, suddenly very interested.

" I volunteer!" Zaraki exclaimed. That's all he ever heard of this conversation.

"We lost in the past. We were defeated because the enemy knew how we work so intimately it was easy for them to predict our next move. Aizen was an extraordinary foe to beat. But we did… His Primeros are less calculating. Their name almost gives away how primitive, savage, and brutal they are. Their strike was swift and direct. It was spontaneous. They don't follow a plan. They follow something more dangerous than that. Their heart. Their instinct. Repeating past actions will only lead us to failure, trust me."

He walked between his lines of captain for dramatic effect.

"This is their weakness. The enemy is as vulnerable as us now. This is why the second phase of their operation has not started. At first, I thought we should take this time to rebuild and get our strength back. But then I thought long about it. We are both vulnerable at the same time. It means we must seize this moment. It is important that we hit hard. We must put pressure on their neck."

He hit the ground with his cane the first time. Suki jumped at once and stepped back behind Shunsui.

"Quickly end this."

Jūshirō and Shunsui nodded. It made sense. They expected this kind of reaction from the Sotaicho. He hit the ground again with his cane and stood in front of Keikosuki. He smirked like the devil.

"How will we do that, you ask?"

He leaned forward as if he was having an apparté with just the captain of the fifth division.

"We are going to get these pests out of their hole, set a trap and we will exterminate them one by one. Captain Ichinose, you will be on the front line. You will lead the assault."

_Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight It must've been something you said I just died in your arms tonight_

The response from all the captains was not long in coming. There was an immediate rumor rising in the room, filled by their unanimous protests. Byakuya's face was closed off. He looked about ready to secede from the union. Zaraki thought how the hell did Suki make it to the frontline before him. How did that happen? What were they discussing earlier? Soi Fon was shaking a head in disbelief. No way she was gonna take orders from this newcomer. Dengeki and Mayuri were protesting loudly. They did most of the work. Why must the laziest profit? Komamura and Unohana remained stoic. Jūshirō and Shunsui were chuckling, trying to stifle their laughter in the middle of the protest, like two teenagers in the back of the classroom. They drank their ass off earlier with Nanao in the prevision of such nonsense. They were glad it finally worked and they were fully prepared for the Sotaicho's bout of dementia. It was just like Shunsui said. There was zero chance in hell they were going to approve of Yamamoto's plan. Wasn't that funny?

Keikosuki Ichinose, alone, was too shocked to speak. She only opened her eyes wide with terror and hiccupped.

_Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight It must've been some kind of kiss I should have walked away, I should have walked away_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = Inception or The Dreamcatcher


	45. Inception or the Dreamcatcher

* * *

**Matsumoto Rangiku**

Vice-captain of the tenth division under Hitsugaya Tōshirō

Gotei 13 Goddess

Friend of Shuhei Hisagi and Kira Izuru

Lover of Ichimaru Gin

Like Alice, who was on the hunt for a mad hare, one day she lost herself in the woods, searching for that man...

* * *

**Still Doll -** **Kanon Wakeshima**

She did not know where she was.

_Find your way out of the maze!_

Surrounded by darkness and nothingness.

_If you go astray, it's the end. Mistress, please, make the right choice._

Truer words have never been spoken

On this day

At this precise moment in her life

She heard

Make the right choice.

Someone had told her before she fell asleep

Someone told her she was probably dead

She did not remember anymore.

She did not know herself anymore.

Was she a wandering soul?

She was just a wandering soul, her yukata woven in darkness, only fit for a soulless doll fading into nothingness.

She rose slowly and walked towards the light. She felt surrounded by wandering souls like her.

Her gaze had lost its warmth and humanity.

The light was all she could see.

She walked towards it ... toward this end.

She walked until she could not remember her name anymore.

The end.

It was one.

Neither painful nor brutal, she could feel death with all that was remaining.

She was surrounded by bland faces, moving just like her toward the light.

The light was getting closer. It warmed her whole being as she approached. It filled it with purpose. On the other side of the mirror, all she had to do was cross over toward the light.

Dispossessed of her carnal envelope, she left pieces of hers behind like a puzzle, with the vague notion that he may catch up to her and follow in her trail.

Who?

She didn't know.

An imaginary breeze blew her blond curls on her bland face. She froze. She was neither flesh nor blood. But she remained frozen in nothingness, so close to seeing the end of the tunnel. He crossed in front of her. The Ghost of Gin Ichimaru.

_"If you lose all your memory again, you have to remember this…"_

_"Ran-chan is the only thing Gin loves on this earth..."_

He brushed against her without looking.

She did not remember her own name.

But she knew this vibrant burning soul.

It talked to her once.

She felt like she could walk with it toward the light.

Her lips moved spontaneously to form a perfect syllable.

"Gin"

She had no need to call on her memories to remember that name. His fingers were on her face and they pushed into nothingness. But it was him, for sure. She followed him with her eyes and watched his figure melt in darkness.

She needed to go to the light. With the other wandering souls. She needed to join the cycle.

Yet, she stared at the darkness surrounding her. He didn't go into the light. She only could focus on the spot where the ghost faded. Where he melted with darkness. She turned toward the light once more. Feeling its call. Feeling the warmth.

He was the north on her compass. A smile spread her pallid lips. She knew this soul. She knew its name. She made a promise. In the wake of the funeral march she was currently attending, she heard a different call, a pull she could not ignore.

She turned her back to the light and plunged back into darkness. She let herself be engulfed by the black immensity.

Whatever happened to her now?

Who cares?

Her heart was gone, wasn't it?

Her soul was waning.

She was dead.

Gin.

She remembered the torment he had caused her.

Like flicking a match on a wall, it reignited something inside her...

She wanted Darkness to swallow her whole again.

It was so close to the surface.

Her exposed heart beating to the drum of her anger, her loneliness, her desire.

She needed to find it again.

Gin.

Her heart.

Her soul.

Behind her the light ...

Before her nothingness ...

And just one choice.

The choice was quickly made. When had he ever left her with a choice? All his disappearances?

_Every time._

He had never left her with a choice.

She clenched her fists in a ball. Her almost skeletal face distorted into an ugly grimace.

He always came back into her life one way or another. He prevented her from going into the light for the first time by offering her a dried persimmon and it became her favorite thing on earth.

_"Ichimaru Gin, nice to meet you. "_

_"Gin, it's a funny name. "_

His smile.

She hastened her pace without fear in the dark. Her hands clutched into nothingness.

Gin.

On instinct, she knew she was holding him ... Capturing him once more…

They played that game before.

All her life, she wanted to capture him. Without even understanding why it was essential to her like breathing. She walked in his footsteps, persisting, never losing sight of him.

He was...

Her father...

Her brother...

Her friend...

Her soulmate...

Her all...

He was all that at once.

_"Farewell Rangiku, if only you had held on a little longer... Sorry. "_

She froze.

This bastard faded again.

_Gin, you bastard, you ignore me again?_

She wanted to swear ...

She made a promise to always remember him.

Even if it hurt her…

Even if it killed her...

She will never give up on him. She will not stop searching for him.

Past, Present, Future...

She will never stop.

She looked down.

_"Gin."_

_"Yes, Ran."_

_"I'm tired. Let's stop this…"_

_"You don't mean that. We just made love. You surpassed yourself I might add. I'm spent."_

" _No. It's not real. This is not real. This is not love."_

_"Don't you dare..."_

_"You don't care that it hurts me... It's killing me not being with you. I love you so much. It hurts all the time. Deep inside, I'm running on empty."_

_"Don't you dare cry?"_

_"Gin."_

_"You made a promise. I believe your promise. You made a promise, Ran. You said you will never forget…"_

_"But…"_

_"I believe in you. I don't trust anybody in this life or the next but you. I don't have anyone but you. Hold onto me. You promise. If you don't, I will never find my way home. I will never find us again. We will never have this again."_

_"What did you do, Gin?" She sobbed._

_"Whatever. It doesn't matter. I'm doing it for us. Just hold onto me, love."_

She stared at the gaping wound in her center. It was like an Espada's Hueco Centro. So empty.

Her soul...

So incomplete...

It was damaged, sweating with a viscous liquid as scarlet as blood.

Another breeze blew on her emaciated face a reminder from her past life.

"Rangiku ..."

A whisper.

It was just like the feel of his lips on hers.

_"Your name is… Rangiku and I'm Gin."_

_"Gin? Do I know you? What happened?"_

_"You fell from that hill but I caught you just in time. I'm sorry your dress is torn."_

_"What happened to me? I feel so empty and numb. Gin. Help."_

_"I will make it better, Ran. I promise. I will make this world better for you. I will make them pay. I will take back what they took from us."_

Her name.

_"Ran-chan? "_

_"Rangiku."_

_"Come on Rangiku, you're too slow."_

She knew Gin. Gin knew Rangiku. She made progress in the night. She was Rangiku.

It started with a promise.

But at night, all cats are gray.

Black ideas and gruesome ballets of skeletons.

Haineko.

It was the next chapter. She closed her eyes, readily.

_"Gin? You can't go and become a shinigami. What would I do without you? "_

_"I'm sorry, Ran. But I made my decision. You can stay here but I don't know how long it will take me. I may not be coming back this time. "_

He was gone.

The morning had come.

He was not there anymore.

He had picked up all his possessions leaving behind only a broken-hearted girl.

In this little theater of horrors where she collected small pieces of herself, Rangiku experienced the feeling of abandonment again.

Tears piled up in her eyes.

He made a promise.

A promise, she could remember as if he made it yesterday.

_"Ran is the only thing Gin likes on this earth. "_

The choice was quickly made. She scratched nothingness and clung to this emptiness. Gin. She blinked. She needed to hunt him down. Either that or he was never going to find his way home.

That's how she met with Haineko.

_"If you say my name, I'll help you find Gin. "_

_" Who are you? "_

_" You know who I am. Close your eyes and say my name, Rangiku? "_

_" I don't know... I don't remember."_

_"The first time we met, you smile for me. It was the best day of my short life and the last day of yours."_

_"Hai... Haineko? My little pussycat."_

_"It all started with your first smile."_

Haineko had always been there. When Gin was gone, Rangiku needed Haineko to fill in that space. It helps her hunt that man down, such a good kitty!

Her vocabulary was enriched then. She remembered Gin, Gin knew Rangiku, Rangiku remembered Haineko... because she remembered the very first time she smiled.

Her feet stomped the dry earth in a sterile desert of ideas. She was born numb. Feeling so numb. In a place where she didn't feel the warmth of the sun. She was not a smiling baby. She just stared forward waiting for this to end. She remembered staring at the window in that empty house. Stared at the forest with eyes devoid of emotion. One day, she was standing outside. She saw that small creature squirming like a worm, his eyes barely open to the world. His mother was gone. She took care of it.

She smiled when it finally opens its eyes. Haineko, she called it.

It was the best day of her life.

It was the last day of her life.

Rangiku turned her head towards the burning house. The glow of the fire held darkness at bay. She approached slowly. The cabin was slowly emerging in the middle of a black and white landscape. Even the squirrels were charming little opaque monsters. The image was vaguely familiar to her. She looked up at one of the windows and swallowed hard.

Her memories came back.

The man swaying on the rocking chair suddenly stood up. He entered the house. He pushed the doors with force. He grabbed the kitten in the child's small hands.

Black ink diluted a little more in white. With one hand on her heart, Rangiku watched the ballet of shadows and silhouette. A woman was screaming.

The blows were raining. The man in the rocking chair brandished a wooden stick high before breaking it on the back of the woman. The kitten was stomped over, the empty Saké bottles falling to the floor in a loud noise.

A breeze blew Rangiku's golden mane. Tears flowed uninterrupted on her cheeks. The knot in her belly was so painful. She wanted to scream.

Was she dying?

She could not be dying without remembering her birth.

The little girl came out of her hiding place in the closet and cracked a match against a box.

"Stop! Stop! Make it stop!"

His nose twisted, his features dissociated, like an abstract painting, the man turned to her, the bloody staff in his hand.

"Stop! Please! Stop! "

The little girl backed away fearfully. The match slipped from her shaking hands. Rangiku screamed. A tiny spark in the night, the matchstick swirled in the air before falling back on the floor stained with shards of ceramic. Immediately, it flared up, the drunken flames licking the debris from the bottles on the floor.

Attempting to keep Rangiku's puzzle together, she dropped to her knees. She squeezed her arms around her and prayed for it to stop. The shadows moved before her in an obscene way.

The girl's yukata caught fire. His club still lifted, the man remained frozen in front of her. He watched the little girl flare up in front of him. The girl twitched and jerked before pushing the table. The lamp flickered before falling back to the foot of the girl, the oil spreading at her feet. The flames redoubled their intensity. Rangiku screamed but no sound could cover the screams of the little girl.

The suffering ... The suffering she endured during this whole minute ... During the few seconds when the flames ate away at her face ... Where she could smell her burning flesh… Where Her skin sizzled...

Her body burned. It was reduced to ashes. But her soul ... This was not fair. She knew. It wasn't fair for the little kitty and her. It wasn't fair. This wasn't what it was supposed to be. Life wasn't supposed to be this cruel.

Her soul wasn't going to know any rest until she made the world fair again.

She will never know rest.

The birds were squealing in the nearby trees. The ivy ran again over the old woodwork, through the soot-covered windows spared by the fire, the girl watched with a smile on her lips, the villagers flee screaming in terror.

At the foot of the shaky staircase, a man was moaning. He begged ... He begged in the void. He prays _for poor Rangiku-chan to find peace. She was just smiling like on that day. Like it was the last day of_ her life. Like it was the best day of her life. She decided to stay here. It was her house. Her heart was attached to it. Her chains creaked on the ground with each movement. Why would she leave her house? To go where? To a place just as unfair?

She was no longer Rangiku.

It had become so easy for her to forget herself.

Having become an evil entity, one of those legends told to children before they went to sleep, she spent several decades watching over the villagers from the soot-covered windows, chained to the walls of the decaying house.

She dropped the Priest's staff into the broken stairway. Like a game of palm, it ran down the stairs. Seeing the burned piece of wood moving alone in the calcined floor, the monk ran away, stumbling several times in his haste, screaming in the night. _Well, why no one wanted to play?_

She had stayed behind these windows for years. Maybe centuries? Forgotten? She could not rest in peace. She was tired of everything. She was hurting everywhere. She was just struggling to remember her name. Some days, she managed to have fun with little Haineko. On other days, she found strength only to cry from morning till night behind the smeared windows.

And then the trees had lost their leaves…

It had started to snow again.

Humans had come ceaselessly to set the ruins on fire again.

In the ashes and flames, she walked. She wanted to show them. Only show them ... She was still here. She was going to survive in the ashes. Enchained to the walls, she would survive even if they forgot her name. Her suffering would endure everything. Her regret was enough to keep the ruins from collapsing and igniting. She was not about to let them burn her memory.

A strong gust of wind shook the gathering of humans.

The trees bent. The wind lifted her blond hair. The air became toxic. She watched them kneel before her will. She winced in despair. She existed. She would survive this.

In the fire.

In the ashes.

She had to show them she was here to stay. Did nobody remember her name at all? Was there no one to mourn her? It was unfair.

Rangiku burst into tears. She remembered everything. The images passed before her eyes. In the beginning, there had been ... The suffering ... The suffering that had begun to gnaw the last rings of her chain of destiny. She just wanted people to know her.

Rangiku screamed in a chilling voice. Oh, she remembered!

In the background as a brilliant jewel, her soul shone in the darkness. They shall remember her!

She set the forest in fire.

_"Lieutenant Kuchiki? What are we going to do? This reiatsu is phenomenally powerful. It's too late to exorcise it. It is changing... This reiatsu has such a magnitude. Can you feel this… We arrived too late! She will be attracting the other hollows soon. We're sitting on a giant powder keg. "_

_"Take the humans and bring them to safety. Form a safety perimeter."_

_"Captain Kuchiki's orders are to wait for his arrival."_

_"Do as I say."_

_"It is probably too late to execute konsou, lieutenant. "_

_"It's not a hollow! It's a little girl! A simple little girl! Do what I tell you ... It's an order. "_

_"He's right,_ _Sōjun._ _I have never witnessed the birth of a hollow of this caliber. How did she go unnoticed with such a reiatsu? "_

_" Isshin… She has been forgotten. It's that simple..."_

_"No way, I'm going there. That's a level 5 hollow in the making. She already has the strength of a Gillian. I've never seen anything like this in my entire life. That kid is too far gone. We have to kill it. A captain should take care of it… In fact, your father should take care of it. Wait, he said he was coming."_

_"You're a captain too."_

_"No, I'm a third seat who just passed the proficiency exam two days ago. You're a lieutenant."_

_"Technically, you passed even if you're not introduced yet."_

_"You want me to break a rule on my first day. Are you crazy ?"_

_"How many rules have I broken for you since I was born?"_

_"How you always going to play that card with me, Kuchiki? The fuck is this! You love breaking rules. It's your hobby."_

_"I don't know how many times will you pussy up on me?"_

_"You're swearing now. You're a noble. Behave like one."_

_"Who taught me to swear? Who's the guy who always taught me to cut corners?"_

_"I don't know. I certainly don't want to be him right now."_

_"Hey! Shush! She stopped. She's looking at you, Shin. Say something again."_

_"Oh! That's right! Little…girl..."_

_"Not something so dumb."_

_"I don't know...beautiful…pretty… Ghost. I know you can see me."_

The girl roared in their direction a tornado of spiritual pressure surrounding her. Yet, she did not move.

_"That's right. You're a pretty kid. A lovely kid."_

_"I don't see it, what's with her burned face and all…"_

_"You have no taste_ _Sō. You don't know quality girls like me. You're a whorehouse kind of dude. She is the prettiest. Hey darling? You look like a princess. Did you know someone predicted when I was young that I shall marry a princess?"_

The girl turned her head toward him curiously.

_"I truly hope it's not her. For her own sake. He is just awful and smelly after a while."_

_" Very funny. You're not helping. That was your idea. What are you doing? No! Soujun! Don't do that!"_

Treacherous! The man disappeared swiftly and in a blink, he was behind her. She felt his arms encircled her from behind. The air was sizzling with electricity. She was tired of waiting. She was hungry. She existed. She made a point telling the world she existed.

Rangiku recoiled before this memory.

Yes, Shinigamis came looking for her after ... He reached for her. She did not know how long. She did not know anymore. She had been about to die a second time when he came out of nowhere. Her raw reiatsu had torn his Shinigami clothes to shred. Blood had watered the ground at their feet. His Kenseikan shattered. He had hugged her very hard. And amid the chaos, she had heard his voice.

"Hey… Hey, it's okay. I'm sorry no one was there for you. You deserved better. You deserved to be loved and cherished for the joy that you are. I promised you will get better. Rangiku ... Rangiku ... I remember you."

Bits of her anger frosted at his touch. Her screams of agony had turned into hoarse sobs. The sky opened above them. She did not remember his face. She just remembered watching the snowflakes fall and turn into ice. She loved ice ever since. It melted the rest of her anger away.

"I'm going to send you to a better world. You'll see. You will have a family there. People you can depend on... Trust me, you'll be better there than here. "

Before the last ring of her chain was completely gnawed by her resentment, he put the guard of his zanpakutō on her forehead. She did not precisely remember his features, just the soft caress of his gentle smile. She remembered falling from the sky. She remembered flying. She remembered ascending. She had never seen him again. She was now realizing it was Kuchiki Byakuya's father. He saved her. But…

He lied to her.

The shinigami had lied.

The place where she landed was not better. The only difference was that people did not know what better looked like... and she was hungry there. She was hungry all the time. That was how the "Rangiku that belonged only to Gin" was "born" ...

She had met him one day when hunger was stronger than anything. He handed her persimmons, which ended being her favorite.

_"Ichimaru Gin delighted. "_

They never went without another, telling each other about their lives, their memories, their sufferings. She learned he fell from the sky like her. He was alone like her. They had wandered together. Seasons turned to years. Years turned to centuries. They grew like weeds together in a sterile garden.

When Gin was sick, she sang a lullaby. She dreamed of having a cat. She dreamed of a lot of things again. She looked forward to the future. She felt alive.

Her dreams and memories were spread over the big canvas. Thousands of pictures of Gin and her enjoying swimming in the stream in the summer… Or the time she hid a little frog in their futon because she knew that Gin did not like them. The offering the villagers would make to them just before harvest. All the times, she fell asleep against his shoulder, mouth ajar, her hand squeezing his. His gift. She found herself showing an astonished Gin how to light a fire by thought. That day, she had laughed like crazy when he begged her on his knees to accept him as her one and only disciple.

Haineko ... Called her in her nightmares.

Haineko refused to let her forget.

Gin put wet kisses on her forehead and chased her nightmares away at night.

She was strong.

She felt alive.

She had never loved life so much as when they were both together.

After a few years, unable to count the seasons, they finally settled in the house that Gin had built with his hands. She was not very tall. It was more a hut than a house. But it was home.

Their home...

Spring...

Summer...

Fall...

Winter...

Together...

The four seasons of Death.

She did not suffer anymore. Of course, people always looked at them with a little mistrust and a bit of suspicion. Sometimes, vile men would grab pitchforks to chase them. But Gin never let go of her hand. She felt invincible.

Those two shinigami had put her on the road to Gin. She was eternally grateful to them. It would not be different from below, the world of the living. Those Shinigami saved her life.

So why?

Rangiku felt her throat tighten. Why?

She wanted to wake up. It was enough! She had seen enough!

She felt suddenly cornered and breathless, knowing what was to come.

"Miss, we would like to talk to you. "

The girl stopped picking up flowers.

The four seasons of Death.

Spring...

Summer...

Fall...

Winter...

The three men approached slowly, gently encircling her in the deserted clearing. She recognized their uniforms ... Shinigami ... Gin had told her about them. He had warned her to stay out of their way. Shinigami like the man who came looking for her in the forest ... The man who had allowed her to come into this world ... They could not be as bad as Gin said. They could not be so scary. If they were like her Shinigami ...

She stared at them in turn, and that did not appease the anguish growing in her tummy. The basket of flowers rolled at her feet. Gin. She could not let any sound out.

" Don't be afraid! We don't want to hurt you! We just want to talk! "

She stepped back and stumbled against a chest. She wanted to scream.

"She is so cute. You are so cute. I don't care what he said. This one is too cute. Enzoraki, my brother, grab her legs! So she cannot run! "

With shaking lips, Rangiku closed her eyes.

She remembered.

She remembered being Her.

She remembered Rangiku and all the seasons of death.

She remembered now.

In Barragan's chimney, marble logs ignited spontaneously.

Spring...

Summer...

Fall...

Winter...

The four seasons of Death.

* * *

**Suki Ichinose**

Captain of the fifth division

Daughter of Tadashi Ichinose

Her innocent dreams as a little girl had once put an entire nation on their knees. But nobody will let her forget.

* * *

"What is she doing, Byakuya?" Jūshirō asked.

Soldiers hurried around the three captains freshly out of the Senkaimon. Emergency fortifications needed to be strengthened, orders from above. Komamura gave a hand moving the pillars here and there with the help of the giant hands of his bankai. It was necessary to complete the evacuation of the neighboring cities. Soifon was on duty with the men of the second division. Yamamoto oversaw the maneuvers with Lieutenant Sasakibe from the roof of the Eleventh Division. Kurotsuchi was overseeing with Dengeki, the preservation of the city.

For their part, Ukitake and Byakuya watched the preparation of their new chief of operations with a certain curiosity. Keikosuki Ichinose was lying on a small square of lawn in the garden of the eleventh.

Even though he heard Jūshirō's question, Byakuya had no intention of answering it. He silently signed the repatriation form and gave it to his lieutenant.

They'd just made it back. Yama-jii's strategy seemed confusing to them. After advancing the front at Karakura, he asked all the troops except the wounded to return to the Seireitei within the hour. Accustomed to the old man's mood swings, Shunsui and Jūshirō barely protested the commander's new orders.

"AD0145 complete transfer. Simultaneous backup of Seireitei and Karakura-Cho is underway. All members of the Twelfth Division are requested to join their posts immediately. Evacuation of the inhabitants of Rukongai EAST and SOUTHEAST continues. The neighborhoods concerned are Mudogishi, Kusajishi, Zaraki, Edogi, Shitoke, Asuri, Amedoka, Akane, Erise ... The members of division seven are asked to ... »

While the vice-captain Kurotsuchi's monotonous voice echoed through the speakers, Shunsui was tried to calm a very pissed off Nanao-San.

"You cannot order me to stand down, captain."

"I'm not ordering you. I'm strongly advising you, Nanao-san?" He said, his eyes on Keikosuki Ichinose.

"What if I don't take your advice?"

"I'm going to strongly punish you."

"I take the punishment then."

"No. I need you to stay behind. Listen to me…"

" For what purpose?"

Peace of mind. Tranquility. This was going to be a mess. He didn't have to be a medium to foresee a bloodshed. There was no way this was going to magically end well.

"You need to help… Isane Kotetsu."

"What?"

"Yes, I want you to dress like a sexy nurse and help the 4th division lieutenant with the wounded in Karakura." He said.

"This is not an erotic novel."

"This is very serious. I need you to do this. For me. This is my order."

" What are you so afraid of, Captain?"

Shunsui shrugged. Afraid. That was not it. Being afraid would have been a blessing right now. No, he already knew this was going to He went to join Byakuya. Nanao sighed.

"Ten million Kan she is thinking about her next recipe." Shunsui offered.

Jūshirō turned toward him.

"She's taking a nap. You think she knows about, you know?"

Byakuya remained quiet. It was obvious to the captain of the sixth division that the madwoman had again chosen flight in a fight or flight approach. He bet instead that she counted the clouds in the sky, hoping that this stupid War would be done without her. Idiot! Not sparing Jūshirō a glare in his departure, he crossed the courtyard to join his men.

_Moi qui suis dans mon rêve ..._

_T'entends ma chérie_

Lying in the grass, Keikosuki Ichinose was not far from having these kinds of thoughts. Except that she did not count the clouds, she was not that stupid. In addition, the sky was terribly cloudy in the Seireitei. A compact ribbon of cumulus Congestus accumulated in the blue sky. Who would have fun counting Cumulus Congestus? No, she watched fascinated the compact and stringy assembly of cumulus Congestus, the birth of a magnificent and majestic cumulonimbus.

The emergence of the Cloud King usually announced the storm. The weather of the day seemed to reflect her mood of the day. It was bad. Everything had started so well! She almost succeeded Tadashi's recipe! She made plenty of friends! People liked her!

Sensei had taken revenge. It was as simple as that. It had taken years for the old man but in the end, he had managed to corner her. To leave now would be a disgrace so great that she would have no chance to see her father forgive her for the mistakes of the past. What if Sensei already told her dad... She could have tried and explain to Tadashi but not if Sensei already told her father a story. Fighting was too hard. Fighting was too scary.

Leading the assault with Persephone was impossible.

_"What did you do to this family ... How could you Keikosuki? "_

She had never been able to master Persephone at this level. The control of her bankai was by her own admission very precarious. To imagine that she could defeat the enemy and lead them to victory was a fantasy. Maybe she would do one but not the other ... A light breeze waved the curls of hair on her forehead. She stared at the sky.

" Ichinose-Taicho was formed by the best masters. I have every confidence in her. She will lead the assault with Persephone."

Yamamoto-Sensei said. The words she dreaded so much. And before she found the courage to protest, several voices had risen in the room.

"Is that a joke?" Kuchiki-Sama exclaimed.

"Suki-chan? Really?"

Ukitake and Kyouraku were surprised in unison.

"Ichinose who? Who ?" Kurotsuchi asked disdainfully.

"Looking for a man to lead for you! You have it in front of you!" Zaraki Said. Captain-chan is cute and all but ... I'll take care of the trash! Let's stop joking! This is a man's job!"

Zaraki turned suddenly toward Unohana suddenly nervous. She simply frowned.

"I mean… It could be a man's job."

"I think this decision is premature," Byakuya added. "Reconsider!"

It wasn't a negotiation. Kuchiki-sama was pretty clear that this wasn't acceptable as a solution. But he seemed to have forgotten Yamamoto didn't exactly ask for his opinion.

" Ichinose-Taicho was trained by me before entering the academy. She is more than capable. The moment to test one's achievement has come."

"If the Sotaicho says it ..." Komamura commented.

"Why her ?" Dengeki frowned, her cheeks pink with jealousy. She was a hard worker; deep down, she had the temperament of an overachiever.

" I only want to take care of Koshinko myself. I don't care for the rest." Soifon had said, folding her arms over his chest.

" Ichinose-taicho? Does she feel ready to return to the front line after all these years?" Unohana asked with a concerned look.

Suki was silent at first. She did not defend herself. There was nothing to say. Her colleagues had already said everything there was to the subject it seems. Seriously, she rehearsed the conversation a thousand times in her head, thinking that she might not have caught the joke. She thought she was going to wake up from this nightmare soon. She thought Persephone may have played a trick on her.

"Have you all lost your damn minds? She cannot go to the front line. Not now. Not ever."

" Kuchiki-Taicho! That's enough!"

A blast of burning air had swept the room. The curtain behind them had caught fire, and Sasakibe had rushed in like a firefighter. The sudden barking of the captain-general had caught Byakuya's off guard. Keikosuki curled up behind Kyouraku, who behind his sakkat had been more than happy to shelter her. Keikosuki had been so lost in thought that she had not followed the discussion ... well, the argument ... because Kuchiki-Taicho was more than opposed to the idea. He was very much standing his guard. It wasn't that blast of reiatsu that was going to make him back off.

"Are not you tired of counting the dead, Sotaicho? Believing that we will find our salvation by placing our trust in this woman is heresy! This woman will only lead us to our ruin!"

Keikosuki spun toward him at his harsh words, her doe-like gaze in place. Kuchiki Byakuya did not look down. He did not wavered. At the moment, he had the same hardened look as her father Tadashi. It was filled with disappointment and mistrust.

" _You must resign as soon as possible…"_

_" Keikosuki, you brought this family to ruin!"_

Keikosuki Ichinose again widened her olive eyes and repressed a sob. Her lips shivered in the wind. In the same way that the clouds continued to clump together in the gray sky, bright tears piled up in his eyes. She bit her lip hard so as not to succumb.

Jūshirō Ukitake had tried to intercede on her behalf. He had been the only one nonetheless.

" Byakuya? You are very harsh with Suki-chan."

" Can we be serious again and think of a strategy that will not force us to lose face?"

"Kuchiki Byakuya!"

" What has she done till now? She did not exactly shine with strategy skills. She didn't exactly shine at all. I don't think you are senile to the point of thinking that Ichinose-Taicho has the qualities of a leader. That she can win you a war!"

Each of his protests had cut deep. The Sotaicho cane scraped the ground. For a moment Kuchiki-sama glared at the old man. Yamamoto had not blinked. The old man had not expressed his surprise to find before him a Kuchiki-Taicho so loquacious and passionate.

"You are trespassing your limits, Byakuya. I will only tell you once more."

"Stop… please… I get it."

Keikosuki finally released all the air in his lungs. She spoke with a quivering voice.

" It is true that I have little practice. It is also true that the control of my bankai is basic ... I still have a lot to learn before being operational. I think that's what Kuchiki-sama means, Sotaicho. He doesn't mean to disrespect you or anything. He is probably right, Yamamoto-sensei. Other captains, more experienced than me in the field, seemed more deserving of your confidence ... I don't want to be a hindrance to your selection process."

Yamamoto glared at Byakuya.

"Although I respect Kuchiki-sama's opinion, he is not your superior officer. **I am**."

He said putting every emphasis on the last sentence. He finally turned to Keikosuki.

"Keikosuki Ichinose, I knew you in every moment of your life. Good and bad ... I know exactly what you are capable of. I know exactly what I need to win this war. Because we are gonna win this war…"

Keikosuki nodded with a wince, tears drying on her cheeks. Byakuya made a crisp fist trying to rein in his temper.

**Kanon Wakeshima - Lolitawork Libretto**

The light breeze played tricks in his hair and dislodged the cherry blossoms in the trees.

_"Keikosuki? Suki-chan?"_

_Natsuki, her pretty blonde sister, could well be at the entrance to the alley. Out of the question, she came out of hiding._

_"Keikosuki? Master Kensei is looking for you everywhere! Imagine what father will say! Suki-chan, I know you're here?"_

_The Suki in question glanced furtively at the entrance of the street below, well hidden behind the chimney of the department of occult sciences of the academy._

_Natsuki closed her eyes. A hand on her temple, Keikosuki stopped breathing. She did everything possible to remove any trace of reiatsu from the air. Her crimson chubby cheeks, she held her breath for a second before exhaling loudly. She did this four times until her left pupil started to dilate and black ink covered her entire retina._

_"I know you're here, Suki-chan! Suki!"_

_She knew that would not be enough to deceive Natsuki's vigilance. She skillfully twirled her tessen over her head._

_"Taberu, Persephone. " She whispered._

_In front of her, Persephone's image floated a few seconds in the air. Quickly turning sour and caustic, the air sizzled with electricity. She had learned early on that not only could Persephone act on the senses of his victims, but he could also ... under certain circumstances and in specific settings act on reality itself. Suki clasped her hands and prayed that her little trick work._

_" Keikosuki, are you up there?"_

_" Natsuki-chan, I was looking for you."_

_Natsuki froze in shock. At the end of the street was the most popular guy in her promotion: Udo Sen, Eleventh seat of the seventh division. That same Udo Sen had just spoken to her ... It had an air of déjà-vu. Actually, it was all like a dream ... She just did not want to wake up. The blonde could not help but walk towards the young man. He smiled back. It was..._

_" I have a few things to tell you."_

_" Yes, me too," Natsuki replied._

_"I do not know… how to start, but would you like to go for a drink in the Green District?"_

_" Oh, but I ... I ..."_

_" You ..."_

_Her answer was on the tip of her tongue. Only, she had to find her sister, Keikosuki. This was the third time Keikosuki missed her "Advanced" class of military strategies and she was risking expulsion. If Natsuki did not find her ... They'd probably call their father._

_Sen gave a broad smile that highlighted his dimples. Oh ! His dimples! Natsuki bit her bottom lip. In her dreams, he would confess over a cup of tea, and after that, they will have a slew of small blond dimpled babies. It was just so perfect._

_"No, nothing. The Green district?"_

_"There is this place where I like to go with the guys ..."_

_"Count me in. I mean…"_

_He just smiled, extending his hand in front of him to politely open the way. He was just as charming as in her dreams. Natsuki followed suit eagerly._

_Keikosuki watched her sister's retreat. The illusion would not last. Natsuki would finally realize halfway she was talking in a vacuum. It would be for her like waking from a dream. She will be confused. It was even possible that it caused her a slight discomfort. Nausea. Vomiting. Fainting. Skin Rash. It was not that bad side effects. No? She'd get better anyway, forgetting any unpleasant memories, everything of her initial quest. Keikosuki bit her tiny lip. It was a nasty trick and it was possible that she would be sent to one of the nine infernal circles one day for this. But she did not want to be scolded today. It was sunny. There was no Congestus in the sky but nimbus with funny shapes. She was not going to stay locked up in a room with a grumpy old man and pretentious boys._

_"Wow? What is the name of this trick?"_

_She jumped, realizing for the first time that she was not alone on the roof. In her memories, he had a face she chose to not remember... His black hair reaching his back was occasionally agitated by the breeze._

_"You saw ... Impossible ... You ... No ... No ... That's not what you think."_

_He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. His smile revealed tapered canines. It was not enough to unbalance the features of his face. He was by all standards a very handsome boy placed high on the Suki-chan universal scale. Her first idea was that he had nothing to envy to Natsuki's dimpled fantasy. He had everything of a prince really. Perhaps he was a prince and he would invite her to a banquet to celebrate the new ... the new harvest. Harvest season was the best._

_Persephone, still free, gave life to the girl's fantasies in the form of dancing ghosts. Suki immediately covered her crimson cheeks. Admiration in the eyes of the newcomer only grew._

_"Yamada Mitsuomi. I belong to the first division."_

_Keikosuki was definitely not going anywhere._

_"You are one of the four guardians of the academy."_

_He nodded._

_"Exact. Under the orders of Yamamoto-Sensei. Are you a first year?"_

_Keikosuki stared at the floor for a moment in search of a plausible lie. She had just thrown herself into a mess._

_"I am..."_

_"If I believe the color of your uniform with yellow stripes, you are in one of the advanced classes. No wonder with such mastery of your zanpakutō ... You look rather young."_

_She rubbed her nose nervously._

_"I ... I ... I'm not so young. I'm only thirty years younger than Natsuki. And then, it's not really an advanced class. At least, my comrades may be advanced. There is the little prodigy with silver hair. They say that he will be an officer as soon as he leaves the academy. And then there's the little prince ... He smells like old books. He has plenty of preceptors. He trains constantly. He is very rude. He and "Silver Hair" are arguing all the time ... Me; I'm really nobody in comparison. I am a little Suki-chan. I was placed there by chance. There was a mistake during my entrance exam. It's because I studied with Sensei ... Genryusai-sama ... Sensei ... But in fact, Natsuki ... She's my sister. She is much more talented. She's the one he trained well ... not me. I was just there by chance ... I kept her a little company. When my father returns, he will clear up this misunderstanding for sure!"_

_"By chance? And your father is gone?"_

_"Yes, truly by chance. My father ... He's in the Zero division. But he will come back. He will come back for me. He promised."_

_Yamada seemed divided between curiosity and amusement._

_"Are you the daughter of Ichinose Tadashi?"_

_Suki nodded quickly._

_"Oh, yes ... That's it."_

_" And you skip classes?"_

_He asked nonchalantly, leaning on the stone guardrail._

_"I did not ... skip classes. It's just a bunch of misunderstandings. They made a mistake when I registered by putting me there to begin with._

_"You do not have to explain yourself. I hate the Academy too."_

_She opened her eyes._

_"In fact, I hate all the shinigamis ..._

_He wore the black uniform of the officers of the thirteen divisions. Needless to say, his words clashed completely with his appearance. The girl's eyebrows made another leap to signal her surprise. She never heard a shinigami say that he hated shinigami. A certain anxiety darkened the features of the girl. Mitsuomi's lips cracked with a reassuring smile._

_" I hate them for the simple reason that most of them don't know how to have fun, don't you think?_

_The features of the young woman relaxed again._

_"It is totally true."_

_"I am fully of your opinion. The only thing that intrigued me a little bit was the power of Persephone, your zanpakutō."_

_Suki shrugged._

_"Do you want me to show you something fun, Suki-chan?"_

_Her face flushed as she nodded quickly. Her new friend had just called her by her nickname. This promised to be a long and fruitful friendship._

_He approached her and unsheathed her zanpakutō, a katana whose glass guard played with the rays of the sun._

_Scared, Suki stepped back against the boiler._

_"It's only my Zanpakutō, Senhau. He frees himself by these words: Fukashi, Senhau. [1]"_

_At the call of his master, the blade of the Zanpakutō became transparent and invisible to the hilt._

_"Since you showed me one of Persephone's abilities. I'll show you a few things."_

_"Keiyaku."_

_On his words, Senhau and his owner disappeared completely from her field of vision. She scanned her surroundings._

_"Huh?"_

_"I'm still in the same place."_

_She stared at the empty spot he had deserted just seconds earlier._

_"That's pretty cool, isn't it?"_

_She nodded quickly._

_" You can see me ?" She asked, all playful._

_" Yes, but you can't."_

_As proof, Suki felt his warm breath in the hollow of her neck._

_" Suki Ichinose, what would you say if Senhau and I helped you disappear?"_

_"I would say, "I am willing to marry you, my prince. " I'm joking."_

" Ichinose-Taicho?"

Suki opened her eyes again, letting the Cumulus Congestus be reflected in her olive-purple pupils. The small round face of Momo Hinamori entered her field of vision.

"Preparations are almost complete. The Captain-General is waiting for you."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Fukashi, Senhau. Fade, Senhau. Become invisible, Senhau. Both Senhau and Persephone are "illusionist" zanpakutō and act directly on the perception of the other.  
> \-------------
> 
> Titles: Still Doll & Lolitawork Libretto
> 
> Artist: Kanon Wakeshima


	46. Save Him/Her/Them

* * *

**Byakuya Kuchiki**

Captain of the Sixth Division

28th Head of the Kuchiki Clan

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Widower

Except for his ever-expanding feelings for this woman, he could fight fearlessly against a number of things.

* * *

If Kyouraku and Ukitake, like two gossips, had continued to scrutinize Ichinose's preparation, Byakuya had quickly abandoned his observation post to talk with his vice-captain. He was still shocked to have raised his voice in the captain council. Perhaps shocked was the wrong word. It was not the first time that he had publicly disavowed the captain. But maybe he never did it quite so publicly before! He was a bit embarrassed at his outburst. Yet, what's with this idea of throwing this particular woman on the front line? He could cope to her fighting as a backup, but this… It was way too extreme. It was way too risky.

By  [Sora-DCiel](https://www.deviantart.com/sora-dciel)

He refused to be distracted this time around. It was Yamamoto's decision. He will deal with the consequences. The only good thing was that Karakura was out of reach in Yamamoto's new plan. It meant Rukia, who was still recovering there, would also be out of reach. So, it's not like he couldn't be objective and open-minded about this. Attracting the enemy to the Seireitei in a trap was quite brilliant. Counting on Keikosuki to do this was the only thing he disagreed with.

He closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, remembering the bruises on her neck from her first battle. He clutched his fist. He had to clear his mind.

_"I don't like war. I hate fighting. I didn't want to be a captain. My father made me do it. It's complicated…"_

He hadn't let her finish then. It was already clear in his mind that she didn't belong on the battlefield. But she said she was doing this for her father. Her father made her do this. What kind of tyrannical father would put his daughter in that kind of position all for the sake of a promise?! What kind of man would leave this place, commit the irreparable, abandon his daughter, at the dawn of a pivotal moment in her life?! She was going to lose everything because of an empty promise to her presumed dead man. How stupid! Except! Byakuya froze. Except he did exactly the same thing once. He tried to fulfill a promise even if it was killing him inside. The captain of the sixth division turned his attention once more toward Keikosuki Ichinose. He hesitated. Should he tell her the truth now?

A boiling warm reiatsu was approaching. He spun around in astonishment because he almost failed to recognize the Vice-Captain Hinamori. The girl handed Shane two ceramic amphoras.

Hard to believe that this girl was the same who was just recovering out of a long coma a couple of weeks earlier? Has it been that long?

Hinamori seemed focused and determined.

She...

Wore ...

A black Kimono ...

Just...

like...

Her…

Captain…

Byakuya scanned his surroundings. All female members of the Fifth Division had swapped the standard shinigami uniform for a simple black kimono. The men pushed large tubs of viscous liquids onto carts.

Shunsui and Jūshirō exchanged a questioning look.

"Kyouraku-Taicho, Ukitake-Taicho, Kuchiki-Taicho, I must help you prepare according to the orders of the Sōtaicho and Ichinose-Taicho. You should coat yourself as much as possible with this ointment."

Ukitake dipped his fingers in the black ointment and smelled it. He winced.

"What's that?"

Momo just smiled enigmatically. Hinamori Momo knew how to be scary.

"It smells dreadful, Momo-chan."

"It's called Dorīmukyasuto. It has a terrible smell, it's true. I think you get used to it after a while. Sōtaicho nevertheless ordered all the soldiers to coat themselves with it. It is a powerful natural anti-poison."

"An anti-poison? Why would we need an anti-poison?"

Jūshirō exchanged another look with Shunsui. The latter raised an eyebrow. Don't ask him.

"I simply meant that this will reduce the effects of Captain Ichinose's bankai greatly."

"Suki-chan's bankai, is that impressive? Right, last time was..."

"An honest disaster." Shunsui finished.

Byakuya turned. Did he hear them, right? Did they know about this? But Jūshirō and Shunsui barely shrugged, rubbing the ointment tentatively on their skin. It smelled like spoiled fish and trash in general. It was pure torture for the senses.

"That's not the question. Is this supposed to spare us the countereffects?"

"Jūshirō…"

"I don't like taking medications I don't need," Jūshirō whispered.

Kyouraku sniffed the strange ointment in turn and grunted. He grabbed the amphora with both hands.

"I'm way to sober for this. What do you say we're going to fetch that last bottle in my office? We can make it back before it starts." Shunsui said, throwing the bottle over his head.

"So not reasonable but so necessary…"

Both captains disappeared in a shunpo, living behind an even more puzzled Byakuya. Shane put his hands in the tub and rubbed his arms, face, and legs without hesitation. He and Momo exchanged a knowing wink. Shane extended the infamous mixture to his captain. Byakuya smelled the thing. That woman must have been joking. He knew she couldn't be serious for one minute. She was pranking everyone. There was no way he could rub this on his skin. It was a prank. There was no other way.

But Momo Hinamori was waiting expectantly, so Byakuya slowly took off his gloves and pretended to start rubbing some on his left arm to please the vice-captain. Now, that devilish woman turned sweet Momo Hinamori into her personal evil henchmen. It was almost hilarious if it wasn't so disturbing. Byakuya wanted to laugh in his confusion. He wanted to cry. He was always oscillating between his desire to choke her to death or fucking applaud her cunningness. She made him crazy with all her antics.

Momo turned on her heels, satisfied, and went to join her captain, who had taken up quarters on a patch of lawn. Without taking his eyes off the two young women, Byakuya took off his gloves and plunged his hands into the tank. When Shane suggested that he get rid of his scarf and his haori in order to coat himself properly with the pestilential substance, Byakuya sent his vice-captain a vicious, murderous glare in answer and left him there. They shouldn't push it!

Momo approached Suki, still sprawled in the garden.

"Suki-Taicho, it's time. Everybody is just waiting for you."

Suki sighed before getting up. She dusted her long black kimono thoroughly. Momo helped her clean a couple of leaves in her hair.

"Momo did you ..."

"I bathe myself in it. I trust you, Taicho."

Keikosuki took her lieutenant's hands in hers. She sniffed them gently with an awful grimace.

"I hate that smell."

They burst out laughing.

"It's quite ... terrible indeed!" Momo said with a smile.

Keikosuki opened her eyes wide at the realization.

"Momo-chan, it's really an ideal day to wear a kimono."

Momo smiled.

"Of course, captain. It's Friday."

Suki nodded gently.

"Are you scared, captain?" Momo asked as she realized Suki's hands were shivering in hers.

There was an awkward pause.

"Momo, I'm terrified. But you know what? Knowing I have such a brave vice-captain by my side… It makes me a little bit brave too. I think. I think daddy will like it… that I can do this. He will like it."

Letting go of her vice-captain, Suki Ichinose took a deep breath.

Both women froze. In one swift motion, the fifth squad shifted in march position. They all stood behind their captain as one. 75 soldiers. Not one more. Not one less. Suki almost recoiled at the suddenness of their movement. She was surprised when Hinamori took over for her.

"Fifth squad! Today is a grand day for us! A glorious day for us! Today we show the Seireitei, our dedication, our love, our willingness to sacrifice it all to protect all the wonderful things it stands for! I don't wanna hear tomorrow that we weren't here today! I don't wanna hear there was even one doubt we were standing today! We are a family! We will show everyone there is no doubt we are standing as one! So March now! March! To your position!"

The fifth division moved as one cohesive unit. Their legs moved in perfect timing, synchronized by an unheard beat. With each step, the quiet regular sound of the shoes on the cemented floor was like the warning thunder of a coming storm.

Momo turned to Suki with a wink.

"Thank you, Momo! That was great!"

They walked slowly up the great alley toward the Senkaimon, making their way around the crowd of soldiers present.

"Please…Stand aside for Captain Ichinose." Momo said.

The soldiers respectfully deviated from her path. The captains arrived one after the other. Jūshirō and Shunsui were first, looking extremely tense. Soi Fon, Komamura, Dengeki, and Zaraki were next. At last, Yamamoto and his Vice-captain shunpoed in the center. Genryūsai encouraged Suki-Chan to take her place with a gentle nod.

"Did you all put on Dorīmukyasuto? If not, you still have a couple of minutes to do so!" Momo yelled. "May I remind you that this ointment is entirely organic and hypoallergenic! It does wonder for the complexion afterward! So don't hesitate! Okay? Thank you for your help! Captain? You can go!"

Byakuya reluctantly joined the others. He should have volunteered to monitor Karakura with Unohana and Kurotsuchi. Instead, he was forced to attend this sham ... It couldn't be called a strategy. She was going to get herself killed.

He unintentionally met her eyes and looked away almost immediately. She was going to get killed today. Keikosuki waited until Byakuya found a place between Zaraki Kenpachi and Shane Terashima.

"Captain ..."

"I'm not ready, Momo," Suki muttered.

Of course, Kuchiki-sama avoided her gaze. He knew better than anyone that she made a poor soldier in general.

"I believe in you. Captain, you can do it because you walked to the scaffold every day ... You survived. You tried. My Captain is fearless." Momo said. "Together, we will put Aizen and his henchmen out of harm's way. I know you can do it."

Suki hesitated. A hesitant glow also cast a shadow in Momo's eyes.

"I believe in you, Captain." She repeated.

She moved backward. Suki pushed a strand of rebellious hair over her face and silently pleaded with the Commander-General one last time.

"We are waiting." He simply said.

" I ... "

She faced all the captains present.

"I've never used Persephone like this. You understand ... Sōtaicho ..."

"That isn't quite true, is it? You already did once Keikosuki. You can do it again."

"Sōtaicho ..."

"Everything will be fine this time ... Ichinose-Taicho. Go ahead."

"If I couldn't wake up…"

After a short silence, Yamamoto replied.

"Hopefully, we don't have to get there, my dear. Persephone is today the most powerful of the illusionist zanpakutō in the entire sanctuary. Your zanpakutō is the only one who can manipulate dreams and sensations on such a scale of space and time. Furthermore, once it latched on his prey, I recall it never let go. The ultimate weapon."

Byakuya held his breath. Suki was afraid of not being able to wake up. She was scared... of not waking up. She turned toward him. He knew he was going to regret what he was about to do because it was tearing him apart to have to watch her stand there, in a place she didn't belong. They stared at each other. He nodded, encouraging her. Her eyes widened slightly, her mouth open. He nodded firmly again. _Do your best, Keikosuki._ She nodded.

"Very well. I beg your pardon all of you. The experience will be very unpleasant, Sōtaicho, even for you."

"I can handle it, little girl." He grinned like an old fox.

**Most Epic Music Ever: Lacrimosa**

Suddenly, Suki grabbed her fan. She snapped open the tessen in the air. A gust of wind swept the place. She snapped it open once more. Another gust of wind swept the area like a storm. She looked at the sky and opened the Tessen once more.

" **Taberu** **Perusepone**."

Another gust blew into the audience, and each time the storm was growing in intensity. Hair in his eyes, Byakuya frowned. Soi Fon covered her face with one hand. Dengeki bowed her head to protect herself from the dust. Wielding the growing fan in her hand expertly, she started to dance with it in the middle of the courtyard, much like she did during her proficiency exam.

Electricity sizzled in the air. The earth was shaking, each step she took. The Senkaimon was undulating in front of her, its door closed. Suki spun around gracefully on tiptoe, concentrating on the door. The fan whipped back and forth. She suddenly stood still, her eyes staring at the Senkaimon. People were starting to faint in the back, soldiers without a seat mostly. Like a massive wall of silence fell over the Seireitei as they waited with bated breath. Black ink flooded her left eye for the space of a second. The grounds shook and cracked open underneath her feet. She let go of all restraints. A green reiatsu blast swept over the entire Seireitei. Byakuya looked at Shane. He was feeling the weight of her reiatsu, crushing his neck, invading his brain like venom, just like that time when she fed him just a teaspoon of it. True, his vice-captain looked just about to faint.

The soldiers with a seat immediately backed off, put off by one massively powerful reiatsu.

In an obscene commotion, the ground cracked on both sides of the square. The soldiers began to fidget behind them in earnest. Ukitake turned to reassure his men but asked them to back away as much they could. Shunsui helped an unbalanced Dengeki not fall into a crack in the ground. The Tessen had grown to mesmerizing proportion above their head. She kept twirling on herself. Mirroring her dance, the tessen spun in the air, Byakuya made no move as Shane tried to calm the sixth division. He turned to Byakuya. He needed to back off with the squad, but he was hesitating to leave his captain behind. Gritting his teeth to stand through the pressure, Byakuya nodded. Shane disappeared.

"Hold your positions, Captains ! Be enduring!" The Sōtaicho howled, leaning on his cane.

The ranks of captains re-formed behind him. That insane reiatsu! It was sizzling in the air. It reminded Byakuya. He frowned. It reminded him of Ichigo in its instability. The electric charge exploded like a firework. Slowing down, she stood like a dancer with grace, staring with dead empty eyes at the Senkaimon.

She stood there, motionless, staring at the senkaimon with absent eyes. Byakuya clenched his fists when he realized he knew that look. His heart skipped a beat. He could see Suki topple over the breakfast table again. She ... wasn't going. It was impossible. A carrier could not lose consciousness without it affecting its zanpakutō. Suki spun around again, in the opposite direction, like a broken ballerina on a music box. She whirled and whirled on herself. There was indeed an effect on Persephone. That's why she refused to sleep.

The young woman's gaze continued to empty of all its substance. Suki-chan was on the verge of falling asleep. Byakuya's mouth was dry.

As if crossed by a shock wave, the universe rippled in front of them ... The gray sky turned sepia and yellow. Each movement of her Tessen painted their reality with the colors of despair. Lightning streaked across the sky. Holding his sakkat with one hand, Shunsui gripped his zanpakutō firmly.

"What is happening?"

"She's ... She's getting there! It's extraordinary! He is coming out! We're in it! A bankai!" Sasakibe shouted, totally elated by what he was seeing. "Like when she was a little girl ... Sōtaicho? She can really do it."

Yamamoto said nothing in return.

_"Suki!"_

_"No, I won't calm down! I want to play, have fun chasing butterflies, talk about cute boys, count the clouds. I don't want to work. I don't want to prepare for a stupid fight! I don't want to fight!"_

_"Suki?"_

_"My friend told me I don't have to if I don't want to."_

_"Your friend? Which friend? Suki, what are you saying?"_

_"Persephone told me not to say anything."_

_"How could you hide that from me? It's me, Natsuki."_

_"I didn't say anything to Natsuki-chan because she always tells the grown-ups on me. She's never on my side."_

_The blonde's eyes widened in horror as she realized._

_"You know the name of your zanpakutō, Keikosuki. That's… huge. That's…"_

_Keikosuki shrugged._

_"Well, yes, we are friends! He likes a lot of things like Suki-chan! He is very kind like Suki-chan. He doesn't mean to hurt people on purpose like Suki-chan. He just likes playing and eating…He wouldn't hurt people if he was left alone! He just changes things when ...people are mean… when Suki-chan is sad. He just makes things better for everyone. He makes everything nice and fun."_

_" Suki ... With your reiatsu ... You don't control anything, do you? I'm going to call Sensei!"_

_" No! I said, no ! Persephone also says no! He's hungry. You make him angry! And he says no! We both say no!"_

_Natsuki stepped back, hands trembling. She watched black ink spilled in the eyes of her younger sister._

_" Suki, you are scaring me."_

_"Don't be scared. It will be like a dream. We change things like in a dream. It will be like a dream. You will see. You like this. You don't remember. Nobody remembers it but ... But Natsuki loves it when I change things because Natsuki-chan can finally be herself in those dreams. She doesn't have to watch over Suki anymore. She doesn't have to worry."_

_"You use your Zanpakutō on me?!"_

_"You won't remember a thing. It's gonna be perfect again."_

_"Suki, drop your weapon."_

_"Persephone and I, we get along well. He is my best friend in the whole world. We made a pact."_

_Suki nodded._

_"Oh, my God! Suki, I hurt Sen and Ayaka-san because of you. I thought I was in love. What did you do?"_

_" It was an accident. Wait, I'll fix everything, Natsuki. I don't know how it works, but… Don't cry! **BANKAI** ..."_

_Before the little girl went further, she found herself engulfed in a circle of fire, the flames of Ryujin Jakka. She could only scream at the pain._

Yamamoto looked up at the sky, which took on yellowish tones. From its refuge inside his Mistress' Tessen, Persephone roared angrily. The pillars of the square tremble. Its reiatsu sweeping everything in its path, the gigantic doors of the Senkaimon vibrated loudly. Thousands of ghosts escaped from her fan and rushed to the sky to form a macabre circle above her. Suki's eyelids grew heavier as she slowed her movements, the fan picked up speed. Soon, it was the only visible sphere in the sky as if it replaced the sun.

One of the ghosts caught Yamamoto's attention. Of course, if the antidote made them safe from certain death. It did not prevent the hallucinogenic effects of Keikosuki Ichinose's Bankai. She remained one of his most gifted students. Yamamoto frowned when he recognized one of the Seireitei's worst enemies, the man who had attempted to murder him once, Keikosuki Ichinose's first husband.

Like a shooting star as soon as he saw him, he disappeared in the crowd of soldiers. The old man's eyes filled with unshed tears.

"What are you seeing, Kuchiki? I can't see shit in this weather." Zaraki groaned.

Byakuya frowned, conflicted.

"You don't see, Zaraki."

"What?"

Byakuya couldn't find the words. He, therefore, chooses to remain silent. With shaky legs, Suki began to seriously rock back and forth. The ghost hovered in all directions, like afterthoughts, they stopped next to each soldier and captains. Their number was proportional to the number of soldiers gathered in front of the Senkaimon. A few seconds later, there was nothing proportionate in their tenfold increase.

Her heartbeat was slowing down. Several soldiers immediately fell, paralyzed by this overpowering reiatsu. The right pillar which supported the arch of the door growled before coming off. The Senkaimon opened, bathing the courtyard in scarlet light. The Seireitei sirens sounded immediately. Another earthquake and the door threatened to collapse directly on Suki. Byakuya left his position in a shunpo and called Senbonzakura. The ensuing explosion added to the surrounding confusion. Thousands of Senbonzakura petals floated in the air, reducing the debris to dust.

"Ku ... chiki-sama ..."

Suki opened her eyes. He saw relief flood her olive-colored pupils.

"Kuchiki-Sama ..."

She yawned. She was suddenly so exhausted. Her eyes were closing. Byakuya tried to take a step towards her but was violently propelled back by an invisible barrier. He remained prostrate on the ground, dizzy. What the others had not been able to see, he had seen. In the eyes of Suki-chan paraded the dreams and nightmares of all the soldiers present. Fear ... Their fear ... He had seen it all in her eyes. She was going to digest all their worries.

"I'm sorry ... Persephone… is ready now…" Suki mumbled before closing her eyes again.

"Don't fall asleep!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. "Ichinose-Taicho!"

A sincere tear swept across her face. She was collapsing, the ground approaching rapidly. A cruel voice, an inhuman voice with sadistic tonality sounded in all the Seireitei.

" **Bankai. Saigo sankō [1].** »

Unbalanced, Byakuya knelt on one knee while the monster's tail came out of the fan to embrace his mistress tightly.

" What...in the hell is this thing?!"

Dengeki looked up to the sky, horrified.

"The fuck is that?" Soi Fon said.

"Is this the real power of Suki-chan?" Shunsui muttered.

"I'm going to be sick," Jūshirō said.

"Fuck me! That's not a bankai! That's a fucking monster!" Madarame hissed while Zaraki Kenpachi burst out with a mad laugh.

" Fucking Reiatsu! I love that crazy woman!"

Frozen on the spot, Byakuya could not take his eyes off the young woman, ensnared by her monster's tail. It was like watching a disaster unfold. A gust of wind brought down an already weakened pillar. Komamura broke it with his fist, preventing five men from ending crushed underneath.

The metallic roar of the second door of the Senkaimon preceded its forced opening. The energy there was in this woman. Byakuya kneeled before it in defeat. _I'm not a very good soldier._ _My father made me do it. I was so hungry when I woke up…_

Tearing the imaginary canvas of the fan, Persephone finally showed the tip of his muzzle. It had nothing to do with what he had caught a glimpse off during his duel with the Primeros. The Monitor Lizard was as tall as a skyscraper, and each step he took outside her fan shook the ground.

Momo backed away from Shane.

"Per ... sephone ... It's Persephone. Ichinose-Taicho is doing this?"

Shane was forced to agree even if he was just as shocked. She was the same person who had prepared their breakfast on a mission and who was packing bento for her soldiers.

Byakuya stared at the sky in turn, frozen. The world ... The Seireitei had changed color ... Where were they? They were in her bankai ... Suki's bankai. Her reiatsu has such a magnitude. He was swallowing his last words. He had never seen such a large bankai. She had plunged the Seireitei into her bankai.

With a new growl, the monitor lizard pulled entirely out of the fan. He was ten times taller than what he only caught a glimpse of. He was also more threatening. With one movement of one of its three tails, the beast sharply cut all the pillars halfway up. The second tail lifted Suki into the air and placed her lifeless body on a patch of fur around his neck. The third tail, fitted with scorpion hooks, grazed the ground in search of prey without hesitation. Put off by the smell of Dorīmukyasuto, she went straight toward the only other stubborn person in the assembly. Senbonzakura immediately blocked the tail in a clash of reiatsu. Byakuya looked up at the monster, angrily. Persephone scrutinized the crowd swarming between his paws with greed.

_"This time, you could say that she has outdone herself, my lovely Suki-chan. All of this for me."_

The creature showed his golden fangs to the captains.

Between two roars, he licked his muzzle. Unveiling a row of sharp golden canines, Persephone suddenly leaned toward Byakuya and sniffed him. Byakuya did not move a millimeter behind Senbonzakura. Meanwhile, its third tail still forced the petal wall.

_"Kuchiki Byakuya. We finally meet. Suki-chan told me so much about you."_

This thing could speak. He couldn't get over how this thing could talk like it had a mind of its own. Byakuya continued to look condescendingly at the creature.

_"What a delicious fragrance you give off! Delicious!"_

The animal took another step towards him. He left a footprint in the ground the size of a soccer field with each step. The corpulence of the animal offered them intimacy from the battlefield.

_"Let her wake up."_

_"It was she who called me. She knows the deal."_

"A zanpakutō should be controlled by its master. Not the other way around."

The lizard snickered.

_"I have no master, Kuchiki Byakuya."_

Senbonzakura alerted him first, forming an instinctive barrier around him. There was another explosion of reiatsu. The ground shook again. Attracted by the waves of Persephone, hundreds of Hollows came through the door; at the same time, and with a single movement of its ravenous mouth, Persephone devoured nearly a third in one mouthful. Senbonzakura cut just as much. Byakuya moved quickly like the other captains joining the fight.

It was at this time that hundreds of Barruk passed the door of the Seireitei in search of a certain Suki.

"Where are you, you whore? I'm going to destroy you!" Enzo's brother growled.

"They are here. It worked. "Sasakibe breathed. "General! They took the bait!"

Yamamoto remained on his guard. He counted mainly on the presence of the leader of the Primeros. But this would do… Persephone's preys always remains at his mercy despite the distance as long as its poison ran through their veins.

Persephone licked his lips before the enemy. The monitor lizard roared again with a deep voice.

_"Suki-chan is absent for the moment. Please leave a message. I will take care of the rest."_

One of the Barruk stepped forward.

"You!"

_"I hadn't finished supper last time. So, let's have a toast again."_

Persephone said as he gobbled Barruk in one swift go.

A chill running down his spine, Byakuya turned back to face a ghost. The threat looked familiar to him. Her brown hair waved in the wind. Senbonzakura petals fell apart in front of her. Hisana smiled.

"It's been a long time, Byakuya-sama."

This Ghost from the past... Impossible…

Without realizing, he bridged the distance between them.

"Hisana."

"I want a life. I did not deserve to die so young. I deserve to have a life, Byakuya-sama with you and my sister."

Byakuya let the creature snuggle into his half-open arms.

"Hisana."

* * *

**Grimmjow Jeaggerjacques**

Espada n ° 6 "Sexta."

Proud Director of the "Ant, Cockroach, and Midge" Circus

He was always the ultimate contender. He was the unexpected champion.

* * *

Tōshirō crashed into the Espadas' banquet table so hard that he ricocheted off the marble surface to knock against one of the walls. The captain fell face down on the ground, breathless, his face swollen.

"Look who I found snooping in the west wing," Grimmjow said.

Archer jumped from his perch and crossed the room.

"A shinigami. So it was him that I felt earlier."

" A captain." Grimmjow corrected. "Where's Enzo? He should be warned ..."

" I'm here."

Enzo pushed open the door with one of his disproportionate hands and appeared on the threshold of the great hall. He studied Grimmjow carefully before turning to his most loyal acolytes.

"Are we ready, Moon?"

"Absolutely. Only one thing is missing. A Donor... I don't propose myself, of course."

"Where are Barruk and Mortis?"

Moon turned to Archer. He shrugged back. Enzo winced comically.

"Go and tell them we're ready to go!"

The two Primeros hesitated. They headed for the exit at the same time.

"You don't need to be two to do this. Are you kidding me? Do you ever think?"

Archer remained frozen in his tracks, and Moon continued on her way.

"So you have a package for me, Grimmjow?

Grimmjow shrugged and pointed to the limp body beneath the marble debris. Enzo took a few steps around the room before coming to rest above Tōshirō Hitsugaya. He did not hide his absolute disappointment.

"I see."

"Man, hide your enthusiasm."

"It's not Ichimaru. Why is it not Ichimaru?" He said, raising one eyebrow.

"Why this obsession with Ichimaru? I'm bringing you a captain on a platter ..."

"I don't care about this type of distraction. I want Ichimaru."

"Gin Ichimaru won't come. He is dead."

Enzo winced even more.

"It's impossible!"

"The runt told me right before I kicked his teeth in. His commander ordered him to execute Ichimaru. You have before you the captain of the tenth division, Tōshirō Hitsugaya. In-person!"

In a sudden gesture that Grimmjow had not predicted, Enzo had picked up a block of marble and crushed it on the body of the mosquito that had ruined his plans in a savage move. Grimmjow pulled away abruptly before catching Enzo by the arm before he knocked Hitsugaya down again. Enzo raised a second eyebrow and let out a groan.

"He came for the blonde. It's his lieutenant!"

He didn't know why he said that. It was the first thing that came to his mind.

The annoyance gave way to fascination. Enzo got rid of the block of stone and broke free from Grimmjow's grip with a demented smile.

"No way! Tōshirō Hitsugaya here?!"

Enzo turned to Geren Koshinko, who had just entered the room. The ex-third seat of the second division confirmed Grimmjow's words unwittingly.

" Go get the blonde!"

"He's probably here for her!"

"Good, go get her."

Geren immediately set off for Barragan's suite. Enzo grinned.

"Yes, I guess if Captain-san wants to see his protégé, I can only oblige. [MR1] Maybe he will be kind enough to describe the last moments of Ichimaru ... yes ... yes ... that's it!"

Grimmjow grabbed Tōshirō by the arm and made him sit on a chair. The captain of the tenth division tipped forward, still unconscious.

" Enzo, if I understand correctly, in the absence of Ichimaru or Ulquiorra, we are in need of a donor." Archer intervened.

"It's not that important."

"Of course, it is important. The whole operation is based on ... opening the door ... And to open the door, we need the key ... The key needs someone strong to wield it… We can't ... Enzo, I'm talking to you."

The Primeros no longer seemed to listen to them.

"Enzo, I think ..."

"You want a Donor?"

Enzo crossed the room in two strides. Grabbing the little shinigami by his mop of hair, he lifted him into the air without the slightest effort.

"There's your donor! You are going to piss me off for a long with details nobody gives a fuck about! All those who take the side of this blonde skank will be my bloody donors! If you interrupt me again, I risk making a confusion, Archer!"

Archer wisely backed away.

"Grimmjow, did he say where I could find Ichimaru's remains? I would like to pay for my last tributes to my dear friend."

Grimmjow frowned. He was spared the trouble of responding when Moon appeared again in the room, distressed.

" He left. They left. A bunch of level 1 hollows and twenty arrancars ... Our entire army ... He is gone. Barruk is no longer in his room."

Enzo let go, and Tōshirō fell limply back into his seat. Lolly and Menoly entered in turn at a run.

"Something is happening ! A Garganta is open! Why Barruk left in such a hurry?"

Enzo frowned.

"He left?"

Tōshirō could hear them speaking above him as he regained consciousness. But he continued to play dead. Geren reappeared with Rangiku in his arms.

"What is going on? Where did Mortis go? I just met him. He was in a hurry as if he was called somewhere."

"Barruk? He left? Impossible. My plan ! Is there no one to care about my plan?"

Using Sonido, Enzo left the room immediately. Geren hesitated before placing his burden on the table. He rushed after Enzo. Archer and Moon did the same a few seconds later, leaving Grimmjow and Tōshirō alone in the dining room.

Grimmjow made a face.

" Hey!"

Tōshirō straightened up, rubbing his swollen face. He replaced his dislocated shoulder with a grimace of pain before standing up.

" You didn't pull any punch, Espada."

"I had to put some conviction into it. Don't blame me!"

"For that, I believed you."

"Yeah, I'm a good actor. I have it in my blood. Midge's plan worked like clockwork. I don't know what she did ... But the diversion came at the right time."

At his words, Tōshirō looked up, then turned his head towards the table with an air of realization.

Rangiku.

Lying on the table, her hair scattered like a crown, she was so close. He had managed to find her. _Gin, I found her!_ He eagerly drew Haineko. He just hoped it will be enough. He just hoped he made it in time.

The relief was short-lived. Tōshirō looked down. The blade of a dagger protruded from his chest. He had not felt it come in ... He had not felt the point of impact, but it was clear that the foreign body which was absolutely not there five seconds earlier was indeed there.

"Grimmjow! Traitor..."

Blood rushed down his throat. He felt the ground slip under his feet and barely had time to see Grimmjow fly across the room to hit the double doors. The Sixth Espada crashed back against the wall.

The blade left his refuge at the same time. Tōshirō fell face down.

"I really deserved to be a captain myself!" Geren snapped.

Geren stared at his two victims with contempt. He had only pretended to leave, erasing his spiritual imprint in the air, blurring their senses. There was no better assassin in the Seireitei than the members of the Onmitsukidō. They had learned from the best ... With the same ease as Shihouin Yoruichi leaned on Byakuya Kuchiki's arm, he had concealed his presence by perching with one hand on Grimmjow shoulder. The latter had only realized his presence at the last moment.

"I knew there was something going on here. I never trusted none of you not to complicate things. In other circumstances ... I would have been in the clan of the good guys, but I just choose to be in the clan of the winners because I have nothing more to lose. If Enzo-Sama doesn't have what he wants, neither can Geren. It's nothing personal."

" Motherfucker!" Grimmjow growled as he tried to stand.

He got hit from behind, that bastard! That is why he had taken part in Midge's plan without protesting too much. More than the shinigami, the Primeros and their allies represented a thorn in his foot. They have no standard! No battle or bloodshed was worth getting bothered by these treacherous blisters! Grimmjow tried to get up in vain. An opaque film veiled his pupils.

"Let me introduce to you my zanpakutō, **Caîn**. Its Shikai has the power to paralyze and kill any enemy ... Hollow or shinigami ... It distills the most perfect poison."

With a hoarse grunt, Grimmjow stopped fighting and started to convulse on the ground, foam in the mouth. Tōshirō kept his eyes trained on Rangiku. An opaque film sought to obscure his view. Or maybe he was losing consciousness? He was so out of it; he did not understand the phenomenon at the time. She was so still she did not look like the Rangiku he knew at all. Rangiku had always been exuberance ... and generosity ... Her giggles ... Her mischievous winks… She could pack the sun in a box, she was that powerful. A tear slid down his cheek. Haineko shone brightly before disappearing. He began to convulse in turn, with foam obstructing his throat.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Saigo sankō: Last meal / Last massacre  
> \------------
> 
> Next chapter = Rising Dead


	47. Rising Dead

-48 -

**Rising Dead**

* * *

**Nelliel tu Odelschwanck**

Former Espada Tres

Friend of Ichigo Kurosaki

Grimmjow Jeagerjack's mate?

Thanks to Kurosaki Ichigo, she had acquired a taste for good deeds.

* * *

It was a bad plan. It was above everything so grosser and obvious that she hadn't imagined for a second that it could work. First thing, Grimmjow had to be convinced, and that alone had not been a piece of cake. The most important thing is that she had no idea why she decided to get involved at all.

It simply didn't feel right when Toshiro told her the whole story, how Gin only allied himself with Aizen to take him down, because Aizen hurt someone close to Gin in the past, someone very close to him too, His lieutenant. Rangiku Matsumoto, who was currently hostage from the Primeros who, for some reason, had it out for Gin from the beginning; it was all vague from there. Toshiro came to rescue his lieutenant. He had no quarrels with the Espadas except those who blindly follow that madman Aizen. He was going to do just that with or without help.

Grimmjow fought indiscriminately. He wouldn't have thought twice if she let him fight Toshiro, she knew. But what purpose it would have served? Fighting was always a last resort for her. She loved peace as much as her acolyte appreciated chaos. This war the Primeros had instigated was all around bad business for them. There wasn't anything to be gained freeing Aizen Sousuke, in her opinion. Now that Grimmjow and her were a team, it certainly means she had to make a few compromises, but it hadn't occurred to Grimmjow; it would be the same for him. He would also be compelled by their bond to help her.

Yet, she was seldom surprised when she managed to convince him without use of the bound. Why help the shinigami? She had the beginning of an answer. He was friends with Ichigo. He couldn't be that bad. But why help Ichimaru? She herself was only half convinced that this was the right thing to do.

_"Are you lost, girl?"_

_Her hide-and-seek game had gone wrong. The tall "Shinshigami" leaned forward to lower to her height. He scared her to death, opening the cupboard in his desk, revealing her hiding place. Nel anxiously thrust her whole fist into her mouth so as not to cry. She was shaking so much that it tickled her gland, her throat penis. Liters and liters of saliva watered the ground like a fountain. Seeing his shoes get wet, Gin backed away with a grimace and grabbed her fist, the culprit, gently but firmly, to take it out of her mouth._

_" Shin- Shigami."_

_Nel started, her teeth chattering loudly._

_" Gin. I clearly prefer Gin." He simply said._

_Gin Ichimaru lifted the little girl in the air like a contaminated sack of potatoes and dropped her on the floor closer to the door. She was a bunch of trouble disguised as an innocent kid. He could no longer pretend she was missing if Aizen found her here with him. She'd be a hindrance he'd get tasked with eliminating. Not his cup of tea!_

_Nel nodded. She felt better. Easy peasy to remember such a weird name._

_"Shin ..."_

_"No, it's Gin ..."_

_"Shin ..."_

_" Giin ..."_

_"Shiin ..."_

_Gin raised an eyebrow comically at her persistence. Then he dropped into his chair again. He admitted he was defeated. There didn't seem to be much going on in that brain. Nel continued to stare at him with a candid look._

_"If you want, Tres."_

_" Nel."_

_"Tres."_

_"No, Nel's name is Nel." The runt corrected firmly._

_"Ok, Tres."_

_"You're little silly, Mr. Shin."_

_"You're a little slow, Tres-chan."_

_Nel crossed her arms against her chest. She didn't agree with him. He was weirdly mean. Gin smirked even more at this bug' s renewed audacity. Nel stared at him. He looked much less scary when he moved his eyebrows like that. He looked like a clown._

_"What are you doing, Shin ?"_

_" I work as you see. And you? Daddy and Mommy did not warn you to avoid walking in the "castle with all the monsters."_

_"Hide-and-seek games are better in haunted castles."_

_"Granted. It's obvious that it's funnier. Only, imagine, and this is a simple hypothesis, that Aizen-Sama chopped Tres-chan's little head off clear from her little body in front of her two big "brothers," the two brothers whom he will have previously pinned to the walls of the palace like butterflies of hell, it's obvious that Tres-chan will find it much less fun. I would always find it funny. But I suspect that I would be the only one."_

_Nel laughed._

_"You are funny!"_

_Gin opened his eyes again. That kid was a delight!_

_"It seems." Gin said, pushing his chair towards the video consoles._

_The kid was too weird. She couldn't be his problem. Noinntra, come get your Kid and your comeuppance, man? Nel approached him with her chubby grubby hands. He pretended to not pay attention to her. He had too much on his plate to run into people even more bizarre than he was. Nel looked at the surveillance screens with curiosity. It seemed funny as a game. "Shin" seemed to be having fun. Maybe if she was wise and kind, he would let her play too. She pushed a button haphazardly, and it paused the video._

_"You mind, Missy!"_

_"She is pretty? She's also a shinshigami, Shin."_

_"Shinigami. Yes."_

_Nel's eyes widened with admiration, her hands on her plump cheeks._

_On the screen, Rangiku was fighting against Nakeem Grindina, one of Grimmjow's fraccions. At least, she was taking a beating against Nakeem Grindina._

_"Woah, how beautiful she is!"_

_Gin opened his eye, the thin space between his eyelids hinted at mischievous turquoise irises. Nel looked at him with round eyes._

_"It's not exactly rocket science, but you have good taste, kid."_

_"Who is it?"_

_Gin pressed the button to disconnect all surveillance screens. Anyway, he had seen enough. She hadn't progressed one iota. Of course, that would not be enough for Nakeem to win. She was mediocre. But the fraction was ineffective in comparison. Just crap in comparison ... At this rate, these two were going to make his eyes bleed with their mediocrity._

_"Is she your lover?"_

_"What do you know about love, baby-chan?"_

_"You kiss her with your throat penis!" Nel chuckled, mimicking kissing._

_Gin frowned. Then he couldn't keep a straight face any longer, he chuckled. That kid was hilarious._

_"This sounds so bad. I'm tempted to just trademark what you just said. This could become a legendary pick-up line!"_

_"Dondochakka says that's what humans and shinshigami do ... I find that Yuck ... Me. I'd never do that. It's too yuck. Ne, do you know if arrancars and Espadas also do it?_

_" I don't know. I tried to greet the new Tres a little too casually once. She practically twisted my neck. I would say it is not completely in the customs. Which is a shame..."_

_" But it's gooey ... It's yuck!"_

_Gin frowned in amusement. She was one to talk._

_"What is she doing here, Gin?"_

_Gin turned to Tōsen out of courtesy. He greeted his colleague with a nod._

_"She's playing hide-and-seek."_

_"What?"_

_"I have it from the mouth of said person. It's funnier to play hide-and-seek with the monsters."_

_Gin punctuated his words with imaginary quotes and a blood-chilling smile. Tōsen's face darkened even more._

_"Aizen-Sama ordered ..."_

_"Tōsen, preventing a brainless kid from having fun is not part of my job. I am evil embodied. But I put my limits to pushing old men from the top of the stairs, asks Barragan._

_"Aizen-sama deemed that she was no longer of any use. You know very well what that means."_

_"I admire your sense of justice once again, Tōsen. Yet, I don't care."_

_"She no longer has a place among the Espadas."_

_Nel looked in turn at the two shinshigamis. She was back to be shaking like a leaf again because Tosen's reiatsu was vile, foul, and suffocating. She stepped back to her hiding place under the electronic console. Tōsen materialized in a shunpo in front of her. Nel only had time to close her eyes. The dreaded impact did not take place. She opened her eyes. Tōsen had been forced to back away. Gin casually placed one of his long legs between him and Nel, effectively cutting him off. Undaunted, Tōsen grabbed the child by the collar of her green dress._

_He backed away immediately when Shinsō threatened to pierce his cheek, his eyes, and everything in his path. Nel fell back to the floor and crawled frightened into her hiding place in the closet._

_"Sorry, it almost slipped. Bad handling. Shinsō is finicky today."_

_Tōsen brushed his cheek again. Shinsō had retracted long before he had pierced the flesh, but he could still feel Ichimaru's blade._

_"Aizen-sama may have his trust in you but not me. Keep that in mind."_

_Gin chuckled._

_"Maybe I won't sleep because of this."_

_"You're disgusting."_

_"Come on! Don't be so jealous, Tōsen? Aizen-Sama and I are a thing of the past. He is all yours. I am only the Help!"_

_Tōsen turned his back on him._

_"You are like a tumor and one day…"_

_"What? What will you do about it, Kaname-chan?!"_

_Kaname greeted his teeth._

_"If I meet this child again in the corridors of the palace, I will make her disappear once and for all ."_

_"I wouldn't do that if I were you…"_

_Tōsen turned toward him. Gin simply shrugged. Tōsen contemplated for a second his words._

_"Is that a threat?"_

_"I don't think it is. I'm the head of security. I know very well accidents happen around here. It'd be a shame. You're obviously a champion of justice. To meet this kind of end would be unsightly. You have so much to give to the world."_

_Tōsen said nothing and simply left. That was entertaining. Gin finally turned to Nel._

_"You heard that, Tres-chan."_

_Gin wheeled his chair away, encouraging her to come out again. He played with his zanpakutō for a minute or so before leaning forward._

_" Listen, kiddo! The guy isn't wrong. He looks slow and stupid like that. But I can tell you that this is just a facade. He is indeed every bit as slow, stupid and cruel as he appeared. This castle is filled with monsters. I should know. I am one by right. I'm even the commander-in-chief of the army of monsters. A little girl really has nothing to do here. We're planning to take over the world, you know. Shit could happen to you. You could meet the wrong people. No one would care about a kid killed on a foreign battlefield somewhere, especially not Aizen-sama. I know it. It wouldn't make a difference to me."_

_Nel continued to watch him with the same naive gaze._

_"Do you understand, Nel-chan?"_

_He ran a hand over her vacant gaze._

_"Kid?"_

_With morbid fascination, Nel stared at Shinso's comings and goings in his hands. Gin sighed, put his weapon back in his sleeve and stood up. He put his bony hand on Nel's little skull._

_"Well, let's go find your fraccion and tell them to keep a better eye on you. That's their job, isn't it?"_

_"My what?"_

_"Your ... No matter what you call them, little beastie. Your little family. Your little gang. Come on, kid, we're moving! I don't have all day!"_

_"Do you have candy, Shin?_

_"How do you know about candy?"_

_She shrugged._

_"I may know where to find some, but if you tell anyone about this, I will have to slit your throat and wear it as a pendant for a week to restore my reputation. We don't want to do that."_

_"I love candy." She said, holding her plump cheek in delight._

_"Obviously, I'm evil. I can always steal some for us. Stark, that lazy wanker, has a sweet tooth."_

_"Can I help?"_

_He crouched in front of her._

_"Gosh, you're my type of girl! Don't tell anyone, sweetheart!"_

_He pushed her a little in front of him and closed the door of his sanctuary behind him._

Nel sighed in relief as she pushed open the door to Szayel Apporro's laboratory. She hoisted Gin onto the exam table and went to push the light switch. The room was suddenly flooded with light. It was the closest as an infirmary in Las Noches as you could get. She searched the office for an instruction manual or at least a couple of notes on how to use the equipment to no avail. Finally, she pushed all the buttons to start the device, hoping that the large particle accelerator remained in working order after the numerous incursions of the twelfth division.

She glanced over her shoulder. She thought she felt the air move behind her. Gin was still lying on the exam table. His veins and arteries were so apparent, his skin seemed almost transparent under the neon lights. There was nothing. She grabbed a rag that was laying there and started to clean all the blood on his face and neck.

Yes, she didn't know why she decided to help. She wasn't sure she even understood everything about the situation. Enzo Weavorpine had something against Gin Ichimaru to the point of wanting to inflict the worst suffering on his family. He was not the only one. Ichimaru had never been Mr. Congeniality. She admitted that when she sat at the Espada table, she couldn't stand him with his unsettling smirk.

But he defended her. It had to count for something. He protected her when she had been at her most vulnerable. He defended when she didn't even remember who she is. She was practically sure thinking about it that Gin made sure other Arrancars knew to stay clear of her. She had to repay him. Ichigo would do the same, she was sure. He would fight to do what was right. Watching Ichigo fight for his friend had helped restore her memory and her normal appearance the first time. His sense of sacrifice reminded her of who she was. Nel closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She moved the machines and connected the wires to her patient. Gin, unconscious on the table, did not make a single complaint when she buried the needles in his arm. Szayel hadn't done much medical research except for his own account. His experiments had been more focused on weapons of mass destruction. Nel searched the drawers, and she found a mask which she connected to the machine. She put it on Gin's face, opening the valve all she could.

"Okay… We must be done…" she whispered, checking all the connections.

She pressed all the buttons to turn on the second computer. The machine started with a sputter. It purred finally, and the reactors started up. What she was about to do, Nel had only seen done successfully once. She acted instinctively.

"It has to work."

It was during a test. Aizen had asked Apporro to demonstrate that he could revive any one of them with the combined technology of the Hōgyoku and a particle accelerator. She did not know the details. She had learned nothing from the demonstration except for its final results. That day, she only watched absentmindedly. Stark and Lylinette were absent because they refused to shorten their nap time. Barragan was chatting outside the door with his fraccions. Grimmjow was fuming because it had interrupted his training. Yammy was asking questions Ulquiorra refused to answer. Zommari was silent. Ichimaru had politely declined Aizen's offer to serve as a guinea pig. The other Shinigami, Tōsen, was more than happy to volunteer. And after being pierced by Shinsō, he lay down on the table with a gaping hole in his chest, and a relatively short life expectancy. She was standing back from everything else and Nnointra was standing right behind her to the point that she annoyingly felt his warm breath on the nape of her neck. A miracle happened, and a few years later, Tōsen was still breathing to terrorize her.

"It won't work."

Nel jumped and drew Gamuza in front of her. A silhouette emerged from the shadows. Nel's eyes widened, recognizing the silhouette. Slowly removing her hoodie, Harribel Tia greeted her curtly.

The two women stared at each other for a long time. As one might think, there was no love lost between these two Espadas who were unlucky enough to share the same number. On the other hand, there was mutual respect, a tacit understanding. There was no questioning of the other's status.

Nel put her zanpakutō back in its sheath. Harribel took a step towards her. With the same dreary look, she looked down at Gin Ichimaru's battered body.

"Why? Why help him? Aizen certainly didn't help me."

"Well, he is not Aizen for a start."

"You're dreaming if you think I will help a shinigami after what they did."

Nel shrugged.

"I don't care for your vengeance. I'm trying to save the world here. I know you're smarter than anyone gave you credit for. You know better than me what's at stake here. The Primeros wants to free Aizen and conquer the world. This guy is the only one who may be able to slow down the Primeros in their rise in power."

"I heard that he changed sides at the last moment and tried to kill Aizen during the battle. I thought it was just a fable."

"Well, it's not."

Tia stared at Gin coldly.

"Listen, I'm going to give helping him a try if you don't mind because brooding and being bitter is really not my cup of tea."

Tia glared in her direction before frowning. She sniffed the air.

"You smell different. You smell like an Old one. Truly enticing, Nelliel Tu Odelshwanck."

She brushed Nel's face softly. Nel blushed.

"I…"

Tia leaned closer, mesmerized.

"You mated with Sexta."

"No! Well! Yeah! But it was…his idea. It was a spur of the moment kind of thing. I don't really know what that was about."

Tia chuckled and circled the table to join her. She gave Nel a lustful once-over.

"Only Vasto Lorde feel the need to mate and breed. In my days, it was quite common." She said with a mix of wisdom and disdain. She kept admiring Nel's curves as if it was the first time she's ever seen curves.

"Oh!" Nel hiccupped, finding their sudden proximity very troubling. Tia brushed away the side of her face softly, smelling her.

"Were you one of them?" Nel asked nervously.

"A very long time ago… This place wasn't like this. It was burgeoning with life. We had a true king then. One who would sacrifice his life for his people."

Nel frowned.

"What happened?"

"The shinigamis happened. Just like cockroaches, they were everywhere, and they destroy everything in their paths. They destroyed Las Noches. They rewrote History."

"I didn't know about that."

"You're too young. You were a young breed when Aizen found you. Not even Ulquiorra remembered, and he was one of us. It was like the universe rewrote itself and we were all lost in the desert like wild animals."

"Why Barragan never talked about it?"

"Barragan was never the King. He was just a minion like Stark and Ulquiorra. He was not even the most regarded of us. Mammongi was. The best of us. Our leader."

"Mammongi…"

"He was killed… by a monster. Taken away from us and we were so lost… We thought we were going to disappear too… The loss was…so great. First, it was the first Lord. Then our beloved king. We were incomplete again. We needed to conceal the pain. Hide it behind our masks. I remembered the pain. For years in the desert, it was all I remembered." Tia moaned and sobbed.

Nel thought she was going to get sick. From where Tia and her connected, she was flooded by a flow of foreign memories and emotions. It's like she could relive those days of errands. She gasped at the rawness of it. The bond. Was that the bond?

"I'm sorry you had to endure this. Aizen said nothing… Why?" She was crying too.

Tia growled low.

"Aizen is the biggest fraud. A traitor. I remembered him from before… But I so wanted to believe his salesman speech that Las Noches needed a king. I wanted to believe we could build back what we lost. I was wrong about that."

Tia withdrew her hand and stared at the floor in shame. Nel swallowed hard. She could see clearly Tia's pain and could feel it just as acutely. She took a deep breath. After a short pause, she said.

"Everybody makes mistakes, Tia. I just know that like Ichigo I must try to save everybody. I have to try to make a difference."

"You feel Ichigo Kurosaki is different. He may be worse than any cure. He brings hope and disappears afterward."

"I know Ichigo is different. I'm sure he would be here if he could, helping his friends."

Tia remained silent, reminiscing. She turned to Gin's lifeless body. Tia sighed.

"The machine has been booby-trapped. It won't work."

Tia spread her coat with her left hand, revealing a shorter right arm, several shades too pale. The graft had left an unsightly scar from her shoulder to her bust.

"This captain ... Mayuri Kurotsuchi has a certain sense of humor. After I lost my arm, I had no choice but to improvise. I found an improbable source of energy and went from there. Yet, the result is a work in progress."

Nel replied with a grimace. Without changing her expression, Tia continued.

"He changed the programming of the machine. I have spent the last three months trying to fix it for my own benefit without success. It pains me a lot. But I fear that Ichimaru has no chance."

Nel let out a sigh of disappointment. She lowered her head to the ground. It was hopeless. There was really no way. Suddenly, a shiver ran through her neck. Through the telepathic link that she shared with Grimmjow and her fraccions, she had a flash. An explosion. Grimmjow was crawling on the ground, his mouth foaming. Toshiro was on the ground too. Dondo and Pesche ran to their aid, and they…

Tears in her eyes, she turned again to Tia, who confirmed her predictions.

"I no longer feel Sexta's reiatsu. I'd say my condolences if it was any other instances. But you are still standing before me, so it means you have a chance to save your mate. You go and leave Gin to die. There will be no judgments." Tia said.

Nel gasped, her face marred with tears. She gasped. She was suddenly so tired. It probably mirrored the pain Grimmjow was feeling. She felt like dropping everything and ran. She took a deep breath.

" No ! No! No! It's not happening. No! Ichigo ... Ichigo wouldn't give up. He simply wouldn't."

Tia stared at Nel curiously. Nel ignored her and walked around the table. She leaned into Gin's ear.

"Ichimaru, I know you can hear us. You want to get your girl back. I don't think you want to quit so soon. You owe it to her to try. So, I forbid you to die on us. I forbid you to quit now. You hear me?"

Tia turned to join the exit.

"Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, I have always admired your misplaced optimism. But we cannot fight the inevitability of a situation."

"I'm the third Espada. You are the third Espada. We're the same in every possible way. What was inevitable in that? What were the odds? Few can stand against us. We will maintain the fort. We are going to hold onto to this castle because this is our home now. We are going to repair the machine. We will repair the machine, take revenge, save our home, and save the world as a bonus. We're going to do all of this, Tia, to honor the sacrifice of those we lost ... The sacrifice of Ichigo."

Harribel opened her mouth to protest before sighing.

"The sacrifice of those we lost?"

Tia thought of her fraccions. She thought of Mammongi and all those who sat at the Vasto Lorde's table… All the Espadas… She frowned, conflicted. What was the point? Yet, she walked around the table to sit behind the controls. She grabbed a mysterious bookcase and opened it revealing its content, a bunch of precious gems.

"What is that?"

She grabbed a red stone between her two fingers.

"That, my dear, is a piece of fully charged reiasekki, the stone of kings. Some people said they were made with the tears of Menos Grande in the Forest of Menos. Our vaults used to be filled to the brim with these. For one who had lived in the castle, it is easy to find a couple of these lost and forgotten. Some are still charged with raw spiritual pressure and reishi like this one. I gathered a couple I was going to use."

"You're kidding me? Reiasekki, I vaguely heard about it. It can harness and store a massive quantity of energy and amplify it tenfold. You're holding a bomb."

"Energy that can be used to enhance one's personal regeneration skills. But it is risky… It could be too much. I wouldn't advise it on a simple shinigami. They simply don't have the constitution for it. Simple spirits don't have a spiritual envelope thick enough to hold on that kind of energy. This one is red because it was filled with Kaijus energy."

"Kaiju? You mean… Old demons. Our forefathers. Spirits so old and ancient, their very existence is connected to the cycle they vowed to maintain. The father of all Hollows was said to be the strongest of them. At least that's what the legend said."

"Yet, you pretend to know nothing about Mammongi."

"Mammongi was the father of all hollows."

"He was the king's favorite creation. Well, someone's been reading at least."

"They really exist?!" Nel said in awe.

"Yes."

"You know all of this, and you never shared."

"Well, I was the youngest to ascend to the Vasto Lorde Council before its destruction. I had no time to know the king before the attack went down the morning after. I escaped barely. Many of our brethren died that day. I spent centuries trying to heal myself, thinking I was the only one who escaped and survived."

"Our brethren…"

"You and Sexta… I feel you as you feel me, don't you?"

"We ascended. How?"

Tia said nothing.

"One is missing. It's… Ulquiorra, I can feel him too." Nel realized.

"Our brother is trying to heal himself. They did a number on him. He doesn't know who he is anymore. I know the feeling. Do you still want to proceed with Ichimaru? It may very well kill him?"

Nelliel gasped again, her eyes distant.

"This guy is everything but simple. I say we give it a try. "

Tia caressed the side of her face softly.

"We will have to reconnect the wires one by one in the right order. I have an excellent visual memory. I remember perfectly the initial connection. However, I need a second hand."

The other Tres leaned in her soft caress with a smile.

"Where do we start?"

"We are going to restart the cryogenic tank. I can restore the water supply with my powers. Undress him. This is where it gets tricky."

By  [ Kathyana ](https://www.deviantart.com/kathyana)

* * *

**Byakuya Kuchiki**

Captain of the Sixth Division

Head of the Kuchiki Clan

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Husband of Hisana Kuchiki

Good things, things were finally as they should be, right?

* * *

Things were finally in their place. He had spent over an hour tidying up his desk. When he got home earlier, he was surprised to not find things as he left them. No doubt, the maids were at fault. Every time Manami added someone to the rotation, he had that kind of problem. For a while, Byakuya got distracted by the acrobatic ballet of the koi in the pool. Yes, everything was tidy. Except...

He resumed his research. He was sure he had left the family seal on his desk. It had been its place since the dawn of time. It was its place when the office belonged to his grandfather, and it will be its place when the office belonged to ...

A burst of laughter. Another distraction. One thought led to another, there was only one place he hadn't searched. Byakuya sighed. He left the room, walked along the corridor, crossed an empty living room, crossed a new endless hallway. He heard another burst of laughter. He touched the shoji door with his hand.

A new burst of laughter. He opened the door. In the vast dining room, Rukia and Hisana were having breakfast in formal kimono and flowers in their hair.

"Onee-chan, Nii-Sama, finally decides to join us," Rukia said.

Hisana only smiled.

**In any other world – Mika**

Byakuya stayed for a moment contemplating the lovely scenery. The women of his lives kneeled around the table with the bright garden in the background. They looked almost like twins in their pastel pink and blue kimonos. The lawn was a vibrant green where wilderness had been tamed by an expert gardener. In the pond, Koi fishes were lively as ever. He gazed across the fuchsias, dahlias in bloom, their white or magenta petals catching the breeze. He inhaled slowly. Heaven. Peace. It was all that at once. The sisters giggled together. It took his breath away.

"Dear?"

He blinked.

"I apologize for making you wait."

"Having breakfast without Nii-Sama isn't fun."

"It seemed from my point of view that you two were having quite an enjoyable time without me."

He said, taking his place. Hisana nudged Rukia teasingly.

"We longed for the presence of Byakuya-sama. It's never the same without you, dear."

"My office was really…"

He stopped. What was the world again?

"Untidy. It was untidy. I don't know who moved the family seal."

"Probably one of the servants, Rukia, and I didn't touch it. We were too busy talking about baby clothes."

Hisana straightened up to serve him; doing so, the shawl that covered her belly slipped on the floor. Rukia straightened up immediately to help her sister.

"Leave it, I'm going to help."

"No need, Rukia. I'm not really hungry."

Byakuya scanned the table with a grimace. Even though the table was decorated with the most appetizing dishes, he was neither hungry nor thirsty. The two young women didn't seem to care much. They quietly resumed their feast and their chat.

"With Rukia, we were discussing baby names. Rukia-chan seemed very amused by your proposals. "Nori" doesn't seem to be successful with her, either."

Rukia winced. An event rare enough it deserves to be highlighted, Byakuya's cheeks took on a pink tint.

"His lordship blushes," Hisana whispered.

"Nori is a great choice. It is a name that symbolizes nobility and respect for laws and traditions."

"If you want him to be teased about the origin of his first name all his life, I would also say that it is an excellent choice."

"His father, his lordship, will not allow such a thing, come on," Rukia added.

They exchanged another knowing look. He suppressed a mocking grunt, annoyed.

Women, he couldn't do anything against them. He couldn't do anything without them. He decided to change the subject.

"What do you all plan to do today?"

"I decided to visit my former captain. Ukitake-Taicho was ill last week. I intend to bring him some treats. Hisana-chan wanted to tag along."

"Is it very prudent? It's a long way..."

"I still have some shopping to do in East Rukongai. Since it's on the way to Ugendō, I thought…"

Byakuya frowned painfully.

"I know what Byakuya-sama is going to say. And that's why Rukia-chan will not leave my side."

He didn't seem more reassured but nodded.

"And you, dear? What have you planned?"

Byakuya frowned. It was on the tip of his tongue. Yet, he didn't remember at all. How odd! There was the seal and…

"I…will probably receive a visit of some elected official in the late afternoon. We will talk about politics… Will you be back by then?"

Byakuya stared at an imaginary point in the sepia-toned garden. The Koi were black and white.

"Byakuya-Sama?"

The Koi remained suspended in the air. He scanned the room to see the wooden panels change the texture, to be as hard and rough as the Sekkiseki walls of the Seireitei. The dining room had suddenly darkened. No doubt, a gray cloud full of rain came to announce a violent storm.

"Byakuya-Sama? Nii-Sama?"

They said in unison. Maybe it was something he ate… He turned towards the garden. The koi more numerous than ever swarmed and disturbed the surface of the pond. Hisana's black hair shone with the reflections of the sun. His mouth was dry.

" You will have to be very careful in the Rukon districts."

"Nothing can happen to me. I will be with Rukia."

"You know what I mean."

"Unohana-Sensei told you I am in perfect health. You don't need to worry."

He took his young wife's hand and laid the outline of a kiss on it, a tender gesture that made his sister-in-law smile and blush. Some things were definitely out of place. He didn't know exactly. But one thing was sure, he, Byakuya Kuchiki, felt entirely like he belongs. He belonged here.

By  [ jen-and-kris ](https://www.deviantart.com/jen-and-kris)

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = Sleeping Beauty


	48. The Sleeping Beauty

**-49-**

**The Sleeping Beauty**

* * *

**Yoruichi Shihouin**

22nd Heiress of the Shihouin clan

Shunpo Goddess.

Hakuda Expert

Former Captain of the Second division

Former Commander of the Onmitsukidō.

Former Corrections Corps Commander

Former Executive Militia Corps Commander

Great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Bibigosha Shihouin, the Keymaker

Daughter of Furuichi Shihouin, Sixth Member of Zero Division

Cousin of Keikosuki Ichinose, Captain of the fifth division

Shihouin women were exceptionally fierce women by definition. It makes everyone forget how exceptionally fragile they were at the same time.

* * *

This wasn't for the faint of heart. Her face was burning hot. She was sweating, trying to withstand the kind of spiritual pressure that are only listed in books. She was not exactly the hypersensitive type.

Let's face it, she was born a Shihouin. What did it mean? Well, if the Shihouins were whimsical bohemian people at heart, very cool people we might add, they were also Guardians of Magic, Users of Dark Crafts, Explorer of the Unknowns, Renowned Demonologist and Collector of artifacts. Whatever sensitivity you had growing up in that family, you tended to lose it young.

**Epic Orchestral Music: "Lacrimosa" by Thomas-Adam Habuda**

Yoruichi, being the noble lady, she was, was not exempt. She was born with a conflicted soul, a rebellious soul, always converging from one extreme to another. It didn't help that it was ingrained deep in her genetic material, the fact that her ancestor Bibigosha screwed a bunch of old men, became one of the hands of the king, faced an Evil God and lived to tell the tale. It didn't help that Bibi did all sorts of heroics before celebrating her diamond jubilee. She had 19 kids and 52 grandkids. She explored the world, searched for artifacts, created her own militia, the renowned Onmitsukidō corps, build her own jail, the Maggot's nest, went toe to toe on delicate subjects with none other than the big chief himself. Yup, Bibigosha was one awesome grandma who married eight times, buried all her husbands, finally disappeared one surprising day on the eve of her ninth wedding, and gave zero fucks in general. So it was only natural, Yoruichi tried to keep up somehow.

But we're digressing here. All to say that few things could unsettle Yoruichi Shihouin. Except, she was perched on the highest cannon of her friend Kukkaku Shiba where she had a relative view of the Seireitei and on its battlefields, and her stomach was all turned upside down.

What had he done?

A huge transparent dome covered the entire southwest area of Seireitei.

So, that was the old man's plan. He had outdone himself this time. Yamamoto-sensei had always been like this. He was a teacher at heart, and he had a definite fondness for role-playing as a means of learning. It was always painful to be his disciple. For having served all these years under his command, she knew. Being his disciple and follow in his footsteps could cost one's life.

But really, Suki-chan was just ... She was a child at heart, someone who loved chocolate more than she should. She wasn't finished growing up yet. No matter how full a bra got, the capricious kid was still there. In fact, at this very moment, we could say the capricious kid had survived in its purest, most violent, and uninhibited manifestation.

**Persephone.**

If a zanpakutō reflected the soul of its carrier, what was it supposed to mean? What was it supposed to say about Suki's soul?

**Persephone.**

"This is insane. That much spiritual pressure… She is even unconscious? What is that girl made of?! "

Kukakku suddenly shouted above the noise of destruction. Her hair was swept in the other direction by a tornado of spiritual pressure. She crawled next to Yoruichi.

"What's her story, Yoruichi?"

Yoruichi stared down at the feast of Persephone.

"I don't know… Something happened to her as a child… is all I heard."

"She fell into a magic bath where she got loaded full of powers."

Yoruichi snapped a tongue comically. She bit her lips. Maybe that wasn't too far off. Yet it didn't seem like her place to tell that story. What should she tell Kukakku? Remember when your older brother left with that girl and dishonored your whole family? Remember, they stripped your people of their titles, and your life went to hell after that? Well, someone wasn't happy about that and never got over it. He was not quite done yet. It didn't sound like something she could honestly say.

"Yoruichi…"

"She is just a kid. She doesn't mean harm."

"Well, I have trouble believing that. This doesn't look harmless. "

Yoruichi sighed deeply.

"Once upon a time there was a girl ... A little girl, born in a grand castle in a distant land. Her father worked for the king and had had an impressive descendant, with daughters all born under the same rising sun. As a result, growing up, our little girl did not think she was different from her sisters. She bore the same name and put on the Kimono of her elders. She played hide and seek. She was rather good at it. But one day, missing the call for supper, she disappeared. Her father searched for her everywhere. When he found her, she seemed unharmed and healthy? She was always the same playful child. She easily pranked her sisters. She laughed just as loud as she used to. Her father was glad. Yet, he knew this child wasn't like the child he lost, and he vowed to keep her safe.

A gift some may call it. A curse for others.

For his friend, the Captain Commander, it was naturally a gift. So, the fate of this little girl was sealed from the first time of her existence. It was decided. He would take her as an apprentice in his academy so that she could develop her gift there.

The little girl had a rebellious streak, inherited from generations and generations of stubborn people. She did not miss an opportunity to escape the responsibilities the world wanted to impose on her. Her gift was growing despite herself. Adolescence being the age of rebellion, the teenager fell in love with the wrong type of bad boy, got in the wrong crowd, and decided to flee her golden cage.

During the civil war, she found it difficult to choose sides, and she was accidentally caught in the fire.

By the end of the war, the girl had returned to her father's castle. Steeped in sorrow and despair, she tried to end her life and escape this reality where nothing was ever the same. Perched on the edge of a cliff, she awakened the power of her zanpakutō in its last lethal form. She made a pact. She obtained Bankai… But the price to pay…"

Yoruichi was suddenly lost in thought. She could remember it like it was yesterday.

"Where are we going, Father? Kisuke is waiting for me."

"I am waiting right now, Yoruichi. I don't have time to argue with you."

Yoruichi shrugged. As usual, her father was dressed like the drama queen he was, bodysuit, black cape, flashy jewelry, and fuchsia turban included. Needless to say, he also acted like one.

"I don't want to argue. I just want to know where we are going. You suddenly appeared out of nowhere in my bedroom, knowing a girl's room is the most private thing and…"

"Not now, Yoruichi!"

"What's with you, old man? Barging in wasn't enough! You have to ruin everything!" She grumbled, annoyed.

"Something happened last night."

She rolled her eyes. What did she say about his drama queen's tendencies?

"I know we won the war, no thanks to you guys. You could congratulate me for once for not dying, for instance… or for keeping the fort while you are not there… Just a thought… You did your best, Yoruichi. Daddy is very proud, Yoruichi…"

He gave her a stern look, clearly aggravated by her sarcasm.

"It's about Keiko-chan."

Which one was it again? Oh, he was talking about this, Suki?!

"Is she okay? She left with her dad…"

He turned to her.

"Did you think that what you and your friends did back then would have no consequences whatsoever?"

She frowned.

"I don't understand."

"No, you don't. It's about being responsible for a bunch of people other than yourself, Yoruichi. That is the job."

"You're the one to talk. You left."

"I left to protect the clan. Bibigosha's legacy."

"No, you left because you always hated it just like me. Don't try to pretend this was about anyone else but you."

"Is that what you believe?"

"Yes."

"You think I abandoned you and your mother and your brother?"

She tasted the salt of her tears on her lips. Her voice was hoarse with fury. She had no hesitation when she answered bitterly.

"Yes."

Furuichi hesitated, furrowing his eyebrows heavily. Something he usually did when he was intensely conflicted. Gosh! She was such a mule! Where did she get that from? He could have said just that. That would have been the end of that conversation. But he was suddenly so outraged at what she suggested, he lashed out. Well, they did share the same blood. He could never take what he'd just said back.

"You silly, arrogant girl! What an incredible disappointment you are, Yoruichi !"

She faltered and took another sharp intake of breath. Even though she vowed none of what he ever said to her mattered, it hurt. In a matter of seconds, he knew he burnt a few bridges with her. Yet, he couldn't take it back! How dare she questioned him?! He was the freaking head of clan! He was her father! The one who encouraged her to be just as brash as she was! They glared at each other. He was the first to break eye contact and sighed. Fuck! He really could have said I love you and I miss you instead! True!

"I'm not here for this. You're the head of the clan now. I need you to grab something for me in the vault."

She heard it all before. He was always using her. So, she shook her head…

"I knew it. You always…"

"Yoruichi Bibigosha Rebin Shihouin. I need your help now, and I need you not to ask questions!"

Yoruichi swallowed hard. But he never used all the names he and her mother gave her when they were both high as a kite, waiting for her to make an apparition in this world. That made her realize how serious this situation may be.

"What is it?"

"This is a family matter. I need to know I can trust you."

She folded her arms on her chest. If he meant business, she was ready.

"I'm your designated heir… whatever you have to say…"

"That is not my question, young lady. For once in your life, can you take something seriously?"

Yoruichi swallowed whatever retort she already got ready for him and consider his tense expression for the first time. She sighed deeply.

"You can trust me, dad… to always do the right thing."

His eyes lingered on her curiously at the choice of her words.

"Well, that will do. Come then."

After a quick epic detour by the Shihouin's vault, a story in itself really, Yoruichi remembered standing with Furuichi in front of the partially destroyed Ichinose Estate, wondering how that could happen, how they could have let this happen and what they were supposed to do now. Persephone was unleashed. Persephone was wreaking havoc. Without its master. Keikosuki was nowhere in sight. She frowned.

"Dad… Dad…"

"Yes, Yoruichi."

"Where is Suki?"

Furuichi silently pointed at the creature again. She caught a glimpse of Keikosuki's hair before Persephone punched another hole in the castle's enclosure with a roar. Yoruichi stepped back. That thing was out of control, and Suki was unconscious. How was it possible?!

"That is… a bankai. That's a whole lot of bankai! That kid got a bankai the size of the Sokyouku hill, and nobody thought the Gotei 13 should know about it? I need to call the captain commander!"

"Don't!"

She turned to him with wide eyes. Furuichi faced, her incredulous.

"Why do you think I came to you?"

"You honestly think I would lie to my boss for you?"

"You do it for other people all the time, Yoyo!"

"Don't you dare call me Yoyo like you didn't plan all of this, you crazy lunatic old man!"

She opened her satchel and rummaged quickly. There must be something she could use to stop this craziness. She showed him the big cube he went to fetch in Bibigosha's vault. He tilted his head and gave her a look. Not yet, this was to be last resort. This was the contingency plan. She turned again toward the chaos. Keikosuki Ichinose, what have you done again, Cousin?

"All the captains need to be made aware. They need to be here. Anyway, I need to call for backup I'm sorry!"

But he was way quicker than her. In one leap, he held the brown satchel she was holding on and her zanpakutō. She felt practically naked. How dare he used that technique on her?

"No, we need to wake that kid up right now! You and me! That's the plan! " He said, grabbing a huge horn in the bag.

Yoruichi groaned.

"When did you grab that one?"

"When you weren't looking obviously."

She sneered. This man was insane.

"That is Mammongi's Horn. That is… literally, the worse idea you ever had. You know the minute you're going to use that. Every Freaking hollow and Menos Grande are going to rip Soul Society's sky open and come showing fangs."

"It's also the worst instrument on earth. It can wake the king of hell. I say we give it a try and wake this kid. Although, if they make for good appetizers for that greedy monster, I'm good with that!"

"You are insane! What is Mother ever find in you?!"

"Money, glory… and a sense of adventure! She is a thrill seeker that one! "

"I'm calling for backup! I need Kisuke right now!"

She said before she noticed Yamamoto was slowly approaching them, leaning on his cane to walk.

"Sotaicho…"

"Shihouin-taicho…"

"You've heard…You're here… I was just about to call for…"

"I know. I thought to myself, Yoruichi Shihouin, she learned her lessons. She wouldn't attempt to conceal something so huge as that kid unleashing bankai on all of us."

"I wouldn't."

"Her idea all along, Eijisai." Her dad countered.

"Dad!"

Yamamoto simply smiled. Yoruichi realized they were both pulling her legs. Who was not taking this very serious situation seriously now?

"Furuichi…"

"Eijisai…"

"I sensed something like that may happen." Yamamoto casually said.

She finally noticed something was amiss with him too. He was without Sasakibe, without any other captains for that matter, and he was not wearing his haori.

"She is asleep, and it's unlikely she is going to wake up without help this time! It's been seven hours since it's started. The sun is almost up. We tried everything. Her father. Her mothers… Her sisters… Even her favorite sister… Natsuki."

She heard a father yell above the noise.

"Where is Natsuki-chan?" Yamamoto asked.

Furuichi lowered his head and shook his head.

"Like I said, it didn't work."

Yamamoto swallowed hard at the ramifications, staring at the carnage.

"It lashed out at anything even that which is dear to her. Interesting."

"Not interesting, this is a disaster. Tadashi almost lost it earlier."

"Where is he?"

Furuichi pointed at a tent erected behind them, on the top of the hill, and led the way. Surrounded by his four spouses who sat in a circle while he was meditating inside a pentagon of lit candles.

"Tadashi has been trying for hours to connect with her using Enkeikuroryū! I don't see it working. We need to find another way."

"I'm sorry, but Yoruichi is right. Using Mammongi's horn is…"

"Risky."

"It's a death wish."

"Do you have a better idea?"

There was another explosion in the background, as Persephone charged against the fortifications. He was about to come out of the castle enclosure.

"Fascinating. Soul cannibalism. It's been unheard of."

"Well, it's her zanpakutō… It's an anomaly. It completely took over... like it has its own will." Yoruichi said.

Standing on one hand, Tadashi was in a deep meditation state. Nor he, nor his wives had a reaction to their discussion.

"There is no way to peacefully contain that beast. We have to weigh all our options."

Yamamoto got out of the tent again.

"Yes, while we do that… **banshō issai kaijin to nase, Ryūjin Jakka.** "

He said as he unleashed his shikai. Yoruichi was too surprised to move, pinned to the ground by the rise in Spiritual pressure. Held at bay by the flame of Ryujin Jakka, which circled the estate, Persephone was suddenly trapped and even more furious. Still, the Ichinose estate continued to collapse under the assault of the Beast, and everyone inside was trapped with it.

"It's good for now. But we may have to cut it out completely." Furuichi said.

And before he finished his sentence, Tadashi was holding his butcher knife against his throat, angrily.

"I know why you're here, Furuichi."

"Come on, old friend. It's me."

"I know you got a royal warrant."

What now? What were they talking about? This was madness!

"Come on. I will make sure she is well taken care of. I wouldn't let anything happen to her."

Tadashi didn't waver. Yamamoto was controlling the devastation caused by his own Shikai with one hand. He didn't even flinch.

"That is my daughter, Furuichi. I will protect my daughter."

"I know… but she is gone. Too far gone. The more that creature is out, the more unlikely she will wake up. Her pressure is out of control. She is out of control."

"I will do anything for my daughter."

"I know."

"If it was Yoruichi… You'd do anything, yes or no?"

Furuichi glanced in her direction, then glance away, his face grim.

"Yes…"

"Even accepting a position in the zero division… which you hate…"

"Yes…"

"Even free, her best friend…"

"Yes…"

"When she helped that Shiba boy, you made sure she got out of it intact."

"Yes…"

"Even if it meant you had to disobey him… right?"

"Yes..."

"She is a good kid, Furuichi. She doesn't mean any harm. Suki doesn't know what she is doing. He made her that way. You know why he did that?"

Furuichi said nothing.

"He wanted to get back at us for losing his golden child. He wanted to get back at me because I let them go. So now what, you want me to give up my child."

Yamamoto cleared his throat, sheathing his zanpakutō. He locked gaze with the two men.

"Don't tell me, you cannot consider it at least. You have many. She is just one child." He said pragmatically.

Tadashi turned toward him as if he'd grown a second head. He was feeling betrayed suddenly. Yamamoto simply shrugged.

"We all like this Suki. But you knew she was different…"

"She is the most important because she is different. She needs me the most." Tadashi said.

"Yes, there's a warrant on your daughter's head. But I came on my own free will because this is a family matter. It could have been Yoruichi. I know that. Say we let her sleep it off? What can we do to ensure she is not gonna harm anyone? Because I won't let anything happened to the world my child lives in. A bankai is a defensive mechanism for our kind. It means its purpose is to make sure his master is safe. It's not going to stop. It's not going to go away unless ...we neutralised her."

Tadashi lowered his guard, freeing Furuichi. They stared at each other. He was right.

"Neutralize…"

"Temporarily…"

Furuichi grabbed the satchel and showed them the cube.

"I thought if the Mammongi thingie doesn't work, well, we need to have a plan B."

"Caja ascensión… That's another Vasto Lorde relic." Yamamoto said, intrigued.

"Very similar in aspect as Caja Negación. This is a special cube-shaped device that is intended to simulate the effects of Negación fields on the target. When used, the cube isolates and traps the subject in a separate, alternate dimension. This bad boy is way stronger. This is the mother of hollows of all Time boxes."

"A Time box."

"Well, those guys were hunters. They hunted big games. They were most famous for their Time vaults ( negation boxes), where they trapped their victims waiting for their souls to be ripe for a later feast. They could trap thousands of souls, a whole universe inside just one box. This was like having a whole kingdom in one pocket. Just one of those boxes held Jigokucho at one point."

"You mean hell?" Yoruichi frowned.

"Yes. They were sophisticated monsters."

"Assholes, you mean." Yoruichi coughed.

"Your ancestor really like their vaults, Yoruichi. She liked to steal everything inside of them. I see that trait hasn't been lost in the family." Yamamoto nodded whimsically. Good time indeed!

"Yes, she did. Anyone got another idea?"

"So what? You're gonna pull that kid and her bankai in another dimension, Dad! That's your plan! You're gonna trap her in these." Yoruichi said, outraged.

"Well, excuse me, Yoyo, I have not put on the right criminal mastermind cape. I lack imagination."

"You should have let me call, Kisuke."

"Indeed, he does have experience in the subject matter."

She was surprised to hear the Captain commander intervene.

"Well, the fewer people know about this, the better, Shihouin-taicho. Your father may be on to something. So, we let her sleep it off… How to ensure she really goes to sleep, though? All of her! Why wouldn't you cook something for her, Tadashi?"

Tadashi was staring at his castle, remote from their discussions.

"Tadashi?"

"Did you know it killed Natsuki-chan? It swallowed her whole. It's like she is not even here… Keikosuki… She will never forgive herself."

"Tadashi focus... We let her sleep. To really do that. We need to put asleep the beast. Feed him something to appease him."

"You want me to cook for her…"

"I want you to imagine a unique recipe for a good night's sleep that will last a couple of centuries but will feel like 25 years to her. After that, as time heals all wound, the child would be ripe to get enrolled in the Gotei 13."

Furuichi shook his head in disbelief.

"I should have known… you anticipated this, Eijisan. You never waste any resources, do you?" He sneered.

Tadashi paced quickly.

"That is a difficult recipe. She is in Bankai. Theoretically, she will be in bankai until she used up all her energy. That will virtually never happen. Because as strange as it is, since that day, she is one of them…at least in the strength department."

"Yes, and that doesn't make her invincible in our book, right, just difficult to defeat?!" Yamamoto reminded him, stroking his beard.

"I can't believe you'd want her in the Gotei." Yoruichi snapped.

For once, she agreed with her dad.

"Well, I think she'd make a mighty fine captain for when you will defect our rank a second time, Shihouin-Taicho."

For when she will defect again? What a joke? What was wrong with these people? Yoruichi glared at the vicious old man. He just smirked. Youngsters.

Furuichi turned to Yamamoto. Even he found that was oddly specific. It seems Genryūsai had a contingency plan in his head all along. Tadashi seemed at first too lost in thought to notice the odd timing. But then he nodded.

"Captains of the Gotei 13 are immune from arbitrary probing and warrants. They are under Central 46 and your jurisdiction. It will buy her time. They cannot be summoned by the King or the Zero division for as long as they wear that haori without your express consent." Tadashi said. "You will protect her."

"Well, Sasakibe is very fond of her. As for me, I got used to her uselessness. She is also a part of Bibigosha and a part of you. I think that helps." Genryūsai said, bowing, as Tadashi's four wives approached them.

"You will cook for her, husband." They all said in unison.

Tadashi nodded.

"Listen, Tadashi, if anyone can make it, so Keiko-chan wakes up from it one day, it's you." Yume Shihouin said.

"The feel of 25 years is nothing for a young person. Centuries even… She won't miss those years when she will be in that box. You will make it so. It's just enough for her to mature… to grow into her powers…to learn to control them better… She will be more reasonable. It's a simple modification of a recipe you did a long time ago when you slaughtered a god…" Yamamoto continued.

"I was young then," Tadashi whispered.

"Yes, you were my friend."

"We were all young." Both men faced the beast.

Tadashi played with his gleaming butcher knife. Eleanor smiled reassuringly when she dropped a basket in front of him.

"A rose… Three liquid drops of reiasekki dust… Two meteorites… a bowl of Strawberries… a couple of slices of meat… some Belladonna… some cress…. Some chocolate… She always did like chocolate too much. You may also find a bottle of nightshade…Milk… One drop of Mercury… Some slices of Hubris... Some liquid gold… Is that it?"

He nodded. Yume bowed in front of him.

" One more thing, dear. Take my soul."

Tadashi grabbed his hair.

"I cannot do that."

"I lived a good life. My mother, Bibigosha, taught me to love and find love. I did."

Without a word, Tadashi fell into an offensive stance, his hands directed toward her chest. Yoruichi looked at the shaky ground. He was getting ready to strike, closing his fist. Closing his eyes, tilting his head, he concentrated on finding her ki, the blood circulating in her veins was all shiny and translucent. Yume was suddenly nailed to the ground by a tornado of spiritual pressure. Gritting her teeth, she was trying to contain the pain. There was a soft way to do this. A painless to do this. Yet, it required time they didn't have. Her chest collapsed internally until the beginning of her hole could be seen. Tadashi lowered his hand immediately, releasing the pressure. She took the deepest breath and fell to her knees.

"Why did you stop?! Please!"

"I cannot hurt my daughter and kill her mother all at the same time! I can't do that! I love all of you! We used to think we were different from them… The hollows. We're not. We just hide our ugliness better." Tadashi said, turning to Genryusai.

"Tadashi…"

"Don't patronize me, Genryūsai! We were wrong!"

Yume slapped him before he could finish.

"Don't get soft on me now. You already made that recipe, Dashi. Except she will wake up one day. Our daughter, who is very much still alive, who is very much still fighting, will wake up again one day. You will make sure my baby wakes up from this. Maybe she will graduate like Ryu said, maybe she will marry, in a proper family, someone handsome, someone good to her, someone that really loves her as much as we do, someone strong enough to protect her… They could have children… Live a full life. Be happy! Can you imagine it? Our Suki… It'd be nice, right? It'd be worth all the pain. It'd be worth it, Tadashi. Through all this loss, we will get something… If you need my soul to make it happen. I said. Take it. I don't need it. Don't let that thing possess my baby…" Yume shouted.

His eyes filled with unshed tears. It's like he could see it too. Keikosuki being happy. Keikosuki having a future. He turned to Yamamoto like it was agony. Then he stabbed himself again and again in the heart. Genryusai grabbed him before he collapsed.

"What in the hell…"

"It's my fault… I lost her. She was my sweet girl. She was so innocent."

"Tadashi…Don't do that to yourself. You don't have to do that." Furuichi said. "We will find another way, my friend. Together."

He reached his own bloody chest, blood seeping through his lips. Furuichi was behind him. Yamamoto and him feeding him their reiatsus.

"I'm gonna…use my own… soul to bind hers… I will melt my soul to feed her."

"That will kill you…"

"Just enough…to feed her… I did it once like Eijisai said."

"Yeah, but…last time, you almost lost your sanity…your memory… You were delirious for decades. The pain you felt then…"Eleonor cried with tears in her eyes. " Tell him, Eijisai. Tell him, Yume. Girls tell him. Don't do this…"

Yamamoto only frowned. Yume nodded. They all understood that Tadashi wouldn't change his mind.

"When you will be finished putting her to sleep. We're gonna trap the Ichinose Estate in Caja Ascensión. What we do with the boss?"Furuichi asked.

"Tell him she is dead. Tell him I need time to bury my daughter. If he wants to cook again… He will give me that time to mourn."

"Well, strangely, that may work… Nothing buys peace like "necessity." It seems we are all bound by it now." Yamamoto said wisely, pacing.

Furuichi turned to his daughter. Yoruichi immediately understood what he wanted from her.

"Well, here, I know someone who can mess with the Central 46 central database and basically every database in the universe. We can erase all traces of this incident. Kisuke will help if I ask him. He can be trusted, I can make sure no one is left to tell this tale among your servants and the neighbors using Onmitsukidō techniques. As crazy as it sounds, we may pull this off…"

Yoruichi turned to Yamamoto anxiously. She was surprised when he approved the plan.

"See, it may help I'm not sure it will stick though. He will find her no matter what… She is like the most delicate dish ever… Tempting him… You think he will give up. Think again. " Furuichi added.

"I will be here then," Yamamoto said.

His wives stood before them.

"We will weave a reality curtain for you while we are there. It will rebuild the castle to its former glory. So that what we see is not what is real. Bibigosha's Genjitsu kāten will also anchor you…so that you, my dear, remember the essential… just enough to be a father and a cook. Just enough to be you. It will be just like it was before tonight. It won't be easy, and there will be days where you will not remember what it is that you were supposed to do on this plane of existence. You won't even remember the love you have for her… for us… But she will wake up again… She will have a chance."

He finally nodded as he picked up his butcher knife.

"I love all our children. All of my girls."

"We know."

"Will you tell them for me when I don't remember?"

. "We will."

"She needs me the most."

"She does." Yume Shihouin said as she leaned toward him, their forehead touching. She kissed his forehead softly. He whispered again how sorry he was that he lost their Suki that one time. He said he should have watched her better. He said he will make it up to her. Yoruichi couldn't hear it all from where she stood.

She was mesmerized by the seeping hole in his chest and the fact it was shining like a star in the sky. It was the first time she caught a glimpse of the soul of another spirit, and it was so beautiful.

"You brought her back, and you will bring her back again."

Her memory of that night stopped there. She didn't remember getting overwhelmed with nausea. It was all cloudy and murky from there. She collapsed. How uncool! She couldn't even remember watching the Great Tadashi Ichinose at work.

When she opened her eyes, she was back in her bedroom. She told Kisuke the whole story, and he thought she was messing with him at first. But then, she never gave him a challenge; he wasn't ready to pick up. So, he did erase the girl's name from the database of the central 46. The Estate was back to its former glory, with no traces of what happened. Yet, each time she wanted to go, she couldn't. She could stand in front of it and never pass the reality curtains. The castle was waiting for Keikosuki to wake up. She remained asleep for two hundred and twenty-five long years, and it got to the point when caught up in her own drama, Yoruichi thought she died. Well, Yamamoto was right. She did defect again. Was he medium? They never talked about what happened that night. She never saw her father again.

When Suki finally woke up, she was still a daddy's girl, childish, innocent, and playful. Only there were a couple shifting details in the story. Her relationship with her father was strained. The father no longer remembered the child named Keikosuki, the one who caused him so much grief. He was obsessed most days with cooking, retrieving all the recipes he forgot, displaying at all times distressing signs of paranoia and psychosis. Keikosuki will probably never know how her mothers and father sacrificed themselves for her that night.

Kukkaku clicked her tongue in the air wistfully.

"Damn, that's the new Aizen."

With a grimace, Yoruichi nodded.

The new Aizen. Yes.

Who was she to lecture? She had tried to take advantage of Ichigo's powers to reestablish her name and fight Aizen. So, who was she to lecture others? Who was she to condemn the Sotaicho decision? In front of power, the temptation to use it for one's benefit or the benefit of the greater good was too big.

"Yoruichi, I can smell her reiatsu from here. I have never felt anything like it. It's so raw. It doesn't really give the impression that the wearer is in control."

Yoruichi frowned. Well, she wasn't.

"Can this Ichinose really control such a bankai?"

Yoruichi's response was quick. The young woman shook her head slowly. Not a chance in hell. Tadashi was apparently dead. Yamamoto was tripping. Furuichi was probably scratching his balls somewhere. She gulped. They were fucked. Truly fucked. She opened the satchel in front of her and picked up the Caja ascension box. Well, Great Auntie Yume gave her this when she told her of Yamamoto's crazy plan. That was better than nothing.

* * *

**Shane Terashima**

Vice-captain of the sixth division under the orders of Kuchiki Byakuya.

Member of the Kuchiki clan

He had only one eye left. Despite that, the sun was not at its zenith that he realized had already seen too much.

* * *

It had only taken a moment of inattention for him to lose sight of his captain. He resisted the urge to take directions from the ghost of his missing young sister. It was an illusion, a simple illusion, he owed to the bankai of Ichinose-Taicho. This odd feeling ... Like a vague memory ... A sense of déjà vu. If he ignored her, she would disappear. He had this conviction. Yet, he was surrounded by soldiers fighting invisible enemies, their arms flaying in disarray.

The lifeless body of a soldier of the ninth division fell before him and faded before he could do something about it. Fuck! That guy had been unlucky enough fighting a hollow and a ghost from his past at the same time. He wondered which one got the last word… or the last bite of the poor fellow.

The ghost tried to catch his attention again, so he turned his back on her. Seira was dead. He knew it. He had always known it. Even before he launched the rescue operation, which cost the lives of ten soldiers. Even before he knew he had to disobey Kuchiki-sama's direct orders, a part of him knew she was no longer of this world. He knew there was no one to blame. He had known the second she lost her life. He had sown bits of himself on the road since that day. Losing his eye had been a lesser evil. The first moments of his life, he knew without a shred of doubt that he was not alone. It was with this same certainty that he recognized the loss of Seira years later.

It was, therefore, only a pale copy of his twin created by Persephone. The real Seira, he could have recognized her blind, deaf, and disabled.

In the middle of the battlefield, Shane stopped. All around him were ruins and mass graves. Another copy of Barruk fell at his feet, unrecognizable, his limbs torn off. Persephone growled, and the ground vibrated under his weight. Ichinose-Taicho was gone, her body buried in the flesh of the three-tailed monster. This uncontrollable creature couldn't be the bankai of Captain Ichinose. This was defying any logic. It didn't make sense at all.

**Bleach OST - What Can You See In Their Eyes**

The hollows continued to flood the senkaimon. He turned to order the sixth division to regroup. Where was Captain Kuchiki?

He looked for him in the middle of the soul tide. A new crowd of Hollow crossed the portal. The sky split above him. A ball of fire then lit up the skies. Hinamori ... He turned again to look for the young woman.

When he finally spotted her in the middle of an ocean of clone bodies, she was fighting valiantly against four adjuchas and a clone. Three members of the fifth division lay on the ground a few meters from her, and she was trying to defend them all. And to top it all off, five large Menos were in approach. Momo, look up!

He was hesitant. His captain was still missing.

"Captain Kuchiki?! "

His call went unanswered. Ukitake-Taicho passed in front of him, pushing back the tentacles of a gigantic hollow.

The air sizzled around him. It was impossible to trust reiatsu. There was so much spiritual pressure in the air that he was having trouble breathing.

« Another Garganta? More Pri-me-ros? »

Shane spun around, recognizing the quavering voice of Rikichi, the eleventh seat of the sixth division. A Garganta had opened just behind Hinamori. His blood turned cold. He couldn't believe their bad luck.

"Momo?! Momo! "

His voice was covered by the sounds of the battle. She couldn't hear him.

Momo whirled virtuously between her targets, striking a giant Adjuchas with the handle of Tobiume. The monster knelt on one knee, and she took the opportunity to slash him in two. She served a powerful double kick to another who went crashing on a pillar. The two adjuchas behind her moved away and backed away slowly. Momo watched their retreat with some amusement. She was literally killing it. She was on fire. Right, they should run. If only Ichinose-Taicho could see ... that.

She widened her eyes in horror at that precise moment.

Jumping over the human fray, Shane rushed towards her. But the creature that emerged from the portal was faster, it only had to extend his giant hand to grab Momo's neck and lift her bluntly. Momo's face instantly crystallized. Rigor Mortis gave a low growl.

Persephone stopped, halting his feast. The Komodo Dragon leaned back, causing a new movement of panic. As soldiers ran away in the opposite directions, Shane struggled against the tide, unable to reach Momo.

"Momo? Captain Ichinose! Captain Ichinose! Help! Momo is- "

Momo was still out of reach. Deprived of oxygen, the girl continued to struggle as best she could. But it was a vain fight. She began to cyanose as the seconds passed. Rigor held her firmly in the air. The creature took a deep breath before blowing a cloud of ash over the square. The crowd ran frantically. Several fell there, caught in the cloud.

Shane drew his zanpakutō.

**"Kageniyotte hikari-ro."**

The reiatsu push allowed him to gain several meters in a few seconds. He pointed the incandescent blade in front of him. Of course, waking **Seiryutō** up like that was not a piece of cake, and Shane lost part of his shihakusho as the flames licked his neck and tried to wrap him up. Taking advantage of the momentum, he jumped forward, leaned on shoulders at random, and directed Seiryutō straight ahead. The concentrated force of the flames served as a shield in the middle of the ash. He cut through the air, ready to carve out the behemoth arm. Suddenly, a ball of fire lit up the dark sky like fireworks. Momo. He seized her mid-flight, crashing into her, snatching her with all the strength he had from the hands of the Primeros, and they went rolling together further away. He let Seiryutō ignite the ground all around them in order to be protected from the dust.

"Momo ... Are you okay?

Momo had passed out on impact, her breathing jerky. She was still alive. He felt her neck covered in blue with both hands. Luckily, it was not broken. They needed to move position he realized as he noticed Enzo coming out of the Garganta.

"Where's Barruk?"

Enzo shouted as he emerged from the open Garganta.

"Where's my brother?"

Shane didn't care to answer. He lit the ground with his zanpakuto, the flames licked the ground toward Enzo. While Shane lifted Momo on his shoulder and started to run to put as much distance between Rigor Mortis and them as he could.

Enzo backed away with indifference and protected himself from Seiryutō flames with a grimace. His eyes had left the ground where he was piecing together parts of Barruk. The soil was littered with bodies. He recognized a hand ... then another ear, a pair of torn legs, and a couple of torsos. Enzo turned on himself. There were only pieces left ... everywhere.

Pieces of Barruk.

"Barruk? "

As if to taunt him, Persephone threw some new rubbish in his direction. The remains of a new clone.

"Barruk?! "

Persephone showed his fangs playfully.

**"That was delicious. More."**

Enzo jumped away, tilting his head in disgust. It triggered another post-traumatic flashback from the time he was in the hands of Gin Ichimaru, and he groaned in pain. Rigor Mortis mirrored him.

"What did you do to Barruk, you bitch?"

He was almost there. A couple of more steps and they could find shelter behind a collapsed wall holding precarious with fallen pillars. Shane crawled as fast as he could out of their way, dragging Momo's inert body with him. Suddenly, Barruk's reiatsu disappeared, and the ocean of bodies did the same. Enzo's brother was no more. It was so sudden yet inevitable.

 **"I guess I found him, right?"** Persephone taunted. **"Who's next? I'm starving."**

Shane didn't have time to react.

Chaos.

Chaos fell on the battlefield. People ran everywhere. Walls were coming down as the Komodo Dragon spun 180 degrees to face Enzo.

Enzo let out a howl of despair that soon covered all noises. Rigor Mortis once again mirrored him. Shane covered his ears in pain. Suddenly Enzo was alone and unprepared. He was back to be a victim. Alone on this earth ... Alone and ... He didn't want to be a victim.

Archer flinched behind the other two Primeros. The only thing to do was to retreat. Open a new Garganta ... and retreat.

Genryūsai Shikeguni Yamamoto advanced towards them, holding his cane with one hand, his haori floating on his shoulders. Ukitake and Komamura followed him closely. The Sotaicho's plan had been flawless so far. Persephone had fulfilled his contract. He dragged the vermin out.

Archer called for retreat. He tried to grab Enzo. But pushed back by five tornadoes of spiritual pressure, he did not even manage to approach Enzo. He turned back and tried to open a Garganta without success.

"We are trapped. They trapped us! Enzo! It's a fucking trap! Enzo? "

Archer backed away, not feeling like he could take on that army.

A Menos Grande fell from the sky. Its head was torn off by Katen Kyōkotsu's sabers. The ground vibrated under impact before the hollow disintegrated. Archer rushed towards the opening in the sky of the Seireitei, but Kyouraku quickly blocked his path.

Enzo let out a sneer, his voice hollow.

"I see ... a welcoming committee just for us. "

"Primeros ... Face the facts. You lost. You will not go further." Yamamoto said.

"Where is she?" Enzo started with a manic sneer. "She wants to play ... We're going to play ... Huh, Rigor? Find that bitch and put her down for me."

Rigor immediately charged Persephone. While Persephone looked for Enzo with his scorpion tail. Enzo easily avoided it by climbing in the air. Rigor, whose reflexes were as slow as his built was large, did not escape the bite of the monster.

Between the two titans, the shock was terrible, and part of the walls of the enclosure was blown away by the sudden turnaround. Parts of Rukongai west was suddenly visible behind the monsters. y Persephone roared as he crashed into pillars. The Dragon leaned up painfully, rushing straight into its new prey, all fangs out. Rigor Mortis blew a new cloud of ash into the air. The dragon spit a trail of poison on him. They knocked head again.

Yamamoto, Komamura, and Ukitake materialized at the same time above the clouds stopping Enzo's escape. Enzo swirled the time spear above his head.

"As for us, it's about time we play ... Our hours together are numbered."

Jikanakuma circled around him. With one hand, Yamamoto let his zanpakutō regain its original shape.

"Jikan kansho."

Suddenly Persephone Dome cracked over their heads. What reality would be the strongest in the end? Suki's half-imprisoned face in Persephone's flesh appeared troubled for a few seconds. She arched her head to catch her breath then sank even more into the flesh of Persephone.

Sudden silence.

Followed by a monstrous detonation as _**Ryūjin Jakka**_ was unleashed. The sky was blazing with fire.

A new explosion of spiritual pressure blew the walls and the ramparts north of the Senkaimon. A cloud of dust rose to the sky masking the duel of the Captain-general and Enzo.

Shane clung as best he could to the ruins of a pillar, hugging Momo against him. They fell on a pile of rubble further. A trickle of warm blood doused his brow bone, threatening to make him blind for good. Momo groaned, coughed, and started to rouse under him. Shane tried to sit up in the rubble, every muscle protesting. Momo finally rolled next to him on her stomach. They both looked in the distance where Persephone and Rigor were still fighting a fierce battle for dominance.

Shane surveyed his surroundings. At the place where Persephone stood a few minutes earlier, there was only a mountain of debris. The vice-captain's throat was suddenly dry as he distinguished underneath a pile of rubble a piece of blue scarf, agitated by gusts of wind.

_Captain Kuchiki?_

__

_by[ tobiee](https://www.deviantart.com/tobiee)_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = Serenity Lake or Shijima Lake


	49. The Lake Serenity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Some of those chapters are so hard to write. I have a cinematic vision of the story. Sometimes I just can't find the right word to describe what I see happening, especially where there is so many characters in a scene, so many actions to describe. I hope, it's still acceptable.

* * *

**Ichigo Kurosaki**

Seventeen years old

High school student at Karakura High

Orihime Inoue's boyfriend

Rukia Kuchiki's best friend

He was aware that he was not where he was supposed to be, but at the same time, this feeling of confusion was starting to get addictive. At least he didn't have to pretend he knew shit about his final destination.

* * *

He didn't know exactly what had decided him. It was probably not the prospect of spending time with his father Isshin, nor the beauty of the landscape. No, he had just realized that he was suffocating in Karakura. The town had become too small for him and the shinigamis.

**Numb- Linkin Park cover ( instrumental for cellos) GnuS Cello**

Of course, he thought of Orihime. He wasn't that irresponsible and selfish. But he knew in the present situation he was of no use. There was nothing he could do for her. He could neither help nor protect her. He certainly didn't save her. His mind was crowded with self-deprecating thoughts. He could barely function. Nothing made sense. Worse, he started to realize Orihime probably felt the same way, and the distance he felt with her was also the result of her own resignation. She probably was disappointed with him, just like Rukia. It all started because of him, and he couldn't even finish it.

Of course, he knew that Orihime was hiding things from him. They were all hiding things from him like it was an official Olympic event. It was as if everyone had decided that without powers, he could not hear the truth. Without his powers, he was not even worth the hassle.

By [Katara925](https://www.deviantart.com/katara925)

Part of him knew that his father, Orihime, Urahara, and even Kuchiki Byakuya thought they were doing it for his sake. But the other part of him felt forcibly sidelined. He was no longer a child, but he was definitely not a man. He was not invited to the big table. He was stuck in limbo without a way to escape.

"Iiiiiiiiiiiiichi-niisan! Otosan!"

The teenager looked up at his younger sister, Yuzu. A breeze stirred the branches of the trees, and a few cherry blossoms dropped their petals in the air. Ripples disturbed the surface of Lake Shijima. Yuzu and Karin, dressed in colorful down jackets, held a huge carp in their hands. Ichigo forced himself to smile.

" Great! Great! They are my daughters!" Isshin yelled in turn. "I have always said that my daughters are much more gifted than my lazy son."

Ichigo groaned in response. Yes, it was the girls' third fish, and he still hadn't caught anything. But at the same time, fishing had never been his strong point. The only positive thing about it was that his mind was free to wander.

Karin went to get the bucket while Yuzu struggled with the wriggling fish in her arms. Isshin watched them with a smile, and he pulled out his pack of cigarettes.

"I thought you were no longer smoking."

"Your scowl looks desperate. Masaki must watch us from up there. I want her to find me cool."

His father's logic completely escaped him.

"You know very well that she is not 'up there' so could we stop with the politically correct BS?"

Isshin did not abandon his amused expression. He blew a cloud of smoke into the air. He shrugged.

"Mom ... Mom is dead."

Isshin slowly settled on the rock by his side inhaling a new cloud of nicotine.

"I mean, it's good for Yuzu and Karin. They are still at that age.

While saying that, Ichigo watched his young sisters for a few seconds. They were bickering. Yuzu wanted to baptize the carp. But Karin didn't see the point in knowing its name since it was going to be their dinner anyway. Yuzu started to cry. She wanted all the family to become vegan. Karin calmly announced that there was no way she would shun meat from her diet. Ichigo lowered his head to the ground, his thoughts going back to his mother.

"I would like to believe that ... Maybe she is in soul society, and she doesn't remember us."

" Like Hell, she is!" Isshin corrected immediately with a snicker. "She is not in Soul Society."

Ichigo frowned.

" How do you know ?"

" I know it. Here." Isshin said solemnly, pointing his heart.

What a joke?! He couldn't take anything seriously.

"Kuso!" Ichigo cursed unmoved by Isshin's excess of sentimentality. He needed real answers.

Isshin shrugged.

" You said that mom and I looked alike ... I don't think so. In my memory, she ..."

"Ichigo ..."

"I'm not going to break our pact and ask you to tell me stuffs you don't want to tell me. But it's been too long. I don't ... Some days I find it hard to remember her. I built this image for myself. It is engraved in my memory that she was the one who came to pick me up at Karate, and she was the one who wiped away my tears when Tatsuki kicked my butt. She was always smiling. It's my fault if she's not here."

"It's not your fault..."

"It is…"

"Do you want me to tell you who your mother was?"

Isshin's eyes were no longer concealing their sadness. He hesitated. Ichigo swallowed hard.

"Just tell me what kind of person she was for you?"

Isshin closed his eyes as if to appeal to his memory. Yet, Ichigo's mother was always with him like a forceful travel companion, a ghost only he could see.

"Insolent. Daring. Defiant. She had a potty mouth. She was stubborn, reckless, carefree, generous. Too generous. She wanted to save the world several times a day. She didn't like injustices. She wanted to really help people. See, she wasn't afraid to go meet someone new every day and try to help. Anybody in the streets would do. Some people collect strays. Your mother, she would collect friends. She was never satisfied with just doing nothing. She was born to change the world. I followed her everywhere like I was possessed. I'd jump over a cliff for her. I became a doctor because I wanted to impress her. Can you believe it? I just wanted to impress my girl. So, I studied for ten years. I was positively obsessed with that woman. Everything she wanted, I wanted also. She is my soulmate, Ichigo. It means something. But just like you, I couldn't save her."

"She died because ..."

"Because she saved the world one day too many. You were her universe, Ichigo. Her world. She…We wanted you in our life so much. You have no idea. She really wanted to be your mother."

"But ... she died because of something I did..."

"You're not listening... You're asking me to tell you, but you're not listening. She loved life, your mother. It was her problem. She never half loved something. For example, she loved fried rice to the degree where it made no sense. The woman literally wanted to eat it every day of her life with French fries and ketchup. Oh! She used to love strawberries too, especially when pregnant with you. She loved life too much, I'm telling you. She loved life way way way too much to return to Soul Society ..."

Isshin did not go to the end of his thought. Ichigo didn't question his use of the word 'return.' Isshin inhaled a cloud of nicotine again. Ichigo scratched his head. Here again, his father's logic completely escaped him.

"The kingdom of the dead."

Ichigo's eyes widened.

"You may have forgotten. But essentially, Soul society is the kingdom of deceased souls. If you had to remember one thing about your mother, only one thing is that she loved life. The woman I love loved life so much she'd sacrifice anything for it. She did not pass away. She is probably loving life somewhere."

"So what? You believe in reincarnation?"

Isshin simply shrugged. He believed in something.

The clouds gathered in the sky. Unbeknownst to Ichigo, there was a smell of electricity in the air. Isshin looked up towards the skyline and the city below. Lake Shijima was located high up against the slopes of Mount Shiji. Ichigo's dad noticed a cloud of smoke in the distance in the neighborhood of the magic shop in their neighborhood. He crossed his arms and lowered his head to the ground.

"It started ?"

He turned to Ichigo immediately questioningly. Could it be that he could see what was going on? Another explosion. A new cloud of black smoke rose to the sky. Could it be that he could feel the level of spiritual pressure rising in the air?

"If you took us out of town, it's good to assume something bad was going to happen?! The people after Orihime? They are back?"

Isshin nodded. There was no point in denying it. He would make a very bad father if he did not take responsibility. Ichigo sighed and looked up at the sky.

"Sometimes, I hate you."

Isshin snickered lightly, cigarette around the corner of his lips.

"Masaki said the same thing to me one day, looking at me like you're looking at me right now, and it started to rain just like that. Our first argument… I think I cried. She wasn't one to mince words just like you. That's when I realized I couldn't live without her."

"But you're living without her…" Ichigo retorted, not understanding his father's logic.

Isshin lowered his head to the ground.

"I made a promise to always make her happy. I made a promise to honor that woman till the day I'd turn to dust, and even in my next life, I will still do the best I can for this family. The happiest day of our life was when we became parents. I'm not supposed to taint what we had with my sadness. I'm not supposed to give up just because it got difficult. I'm not supposed to give up on protecting what she loves the most because I'm powerless or because I'm in pain. You better not give up, Ichigo. You're not my son if you give up."

**"In The End" Linkin Park Cover - Tommee Profitt (feat. Fleurie & Jung Youth)**

With these words, the first drops watered the ground. After a few seconds, the downpour immediately doubled in intensity. Abandoning the bucket and their last catch, Yuzu and Karin rushed to find refuge in the family tent. Isshin smashed his cigarette on the floor and headed in the same direction. He turned back one last time, his hands in his pockets, looking strangely youthful.

"You are her spitting image. If you want to remember your mother, do me a favor, just take a look in a mirror, you're sure to find her smirking back at you."

Ichigo did not move. He remained curled upon himself, the rain hitting his neck vigorously. He didn't want to give up. But it's not like he had a choice. Spreading his legs, he frowned as he contemplated his reflection forming in a puddle of rain. A silly part of him expected to see his mother like Isshin said. But instead, a monster was looking back at him, one eye black and one eye golden.

* * *

**Orihime Inoue**

Kurosaki Ichigo's girlfriend

Schoolgirl at Karakura High

She changed. We couldn't necessarily recognize the young woman in the mirror, but like Ulquiorra Schiffer, we could always recognize the Heart.

* * *

"Hey Orihime, you're here. We just went to Ichigo's. There is nobody there."

Standing at the entrance of the store, Inoue turned toward the boys as they approached. A breeze stirred the redhead's hair. Her uneven bangs tickled her left eye. Chad and Uryū took off their shoes to put on traditional slippers.

"Do you know about that? Did he say something?"

Her left arm still in a sling, Orihime, simply shrugged. No, she didn't know anything. She didn't know anything about Ichigo. Some days she thought she didn't know him. Some days she didn't recognize the man she loved inside him. Sometimes there was a dark glow in his eyes. This Ichigo- frightened her for some reason. She didn't know what was hiding behind his eyes. It had always been the difference between her and Kuchiki-san. While Rukia could read him like a book, she did not know the man.

"Urahara is there?"

Coming out of her thoughts, Inoue hesitated for a moment. She realized she answered none of Uryu's questions. She was really distracted, and it was starting to show. She lowered her head to the meal tray in her hand. The bowl of rice and the red bean paste no longer looked as appetizing.

"No ... Urahara-san is working on a project. He left very early this morning."

"Ah! He probably knows what's going on with the shinigami! It's crazy in the house! Kuchiki-Taicho and Ichinose-Taicho are no longer there. They've been deployed on another battlefield."

Orihime continued to look at him with round eyes. Uryū decided to explain.

"Ah, you may not be aware! When you were kidnapped, the shinigami set up a headquarter a few blocks from Ichigo's father's clinic."

Orihime nodded.

"Oh! That! Urahara-san explained to me."

She wobbled on an ankle, holding the tray clumsily. Chad leaned over to help and took over the tray. Uryū continued.

"Orihime-san shouldn't be standing. She is still injured."

"I'm fine. I'm just a little tired. But I'm already much better. You say Kurosaki-kun is gone? I mean you're sure he isn't at home? Didn't he come to see Rukia-San?"

"When we went to see her a little earlier before being thrown out by that asshole Kurotsuchi, supposedly for security reasons, we learned she hadn't received a single visit. Renji was in the room next to her. He is also in poor condition. We couldn't see him either, but his vice-captain, who is a friend of Chad, was nice enough to tell us how he was doing. We went to Ichigo's house afterward, and there was no one there.

"Renji?" Orihime frowned.

"Apparently, he was named captain and was injured in action."

"Oh!"

Orihime nodded even when she was having trouble processing all this information.

"It doesn't really look like Ichigo. But these days ... It's not like he's been very much himself... However, choosing this moment to disappear? What about you, Inoue? Are you OK ?"

Inoue leaned on a sideboard tiredly. When she looked up at them, a warm, reassuring smile stretched her lips.

"I'm sure Kurosaki-kun must have his reasons. It must have been hard for him with Kuchiki-san getting hurt..."

Ichigo had to think about Kuchiki-san first. He must have blamed himself for being unable to save her.

"But Orihime ... You just returned. What is he thinking about? When he leaves you alone..."

Her smile increased. These days, she was like a robot, really. Disgusting.

"I'm much better. Don't worry."

A shadow suddenly passed in Uryū's eyes. He suddenly frowned and turned to Chad. Something was not right. He rushed to the bedroom on the left just to have Orihime holding him back with tears in her eyes.

"Orihime?"

Orihime leaned forward in reverence.

"I am sorry. I am really sorry. I wanted to tell you."

Tears gathered in the young woman's eyes quickly. Surprised, Uryū hesitated. Finally, he gently pushed Orihime into Chad's arms and opened the bedroom door. He had expected a lot of things except that. He had expected to find Ichigo, for example. He had expected to find Urahara concocting one of his shady plans. He had expected everything except ...

" It's..."

The body of the most dangerous Espada that ever walked this earth lay on two futons, shirtless, its hollow hole still visible. His face was still streaked with black lines, but his helmet was completely gone.

"Ori-hime ... It's ... It's ..".

" Ulquiorra Schiffer." Chad finished for him. "Espada number four."

"You're hiding him?!" Uryū snapped, feeling betrayed.

Orihime finally burst into tears.

" I am sorry. I really am. He saved my life. I wanted to talk to you earlier. But Urahara-san told me he could stay here, but I shouldn't talk about it ...to anyone... So, I couldn't say anything. I'm really sorry."

"Orihime?"

Uryū suddenly took his head between his hands.

"But what's going on here? It was Rukia, now Ichigo…You guys are all doing what you want regardless of the consequences. Above all, you all act in your own bubble-like our friendship fucking means nothing to you… like we didn't face death together. You're all so selfish!"

He had barely spoken these words that a set of dark cumulonimbus suddenly plunged the house into darkness. Chad paused, staring at the vibrating window.

"What? I don't get it?! Why would you lie to us?! We're your friends, and we were worried. That guy kidnapped you twice. What's wrong with you?" Uryū yelled.

"Stop it, Ishida," Chad said sternly. Orihime said she was sorry, and he believed her. It was enough for him.

"You... I don't get how she can be so dense sometimes! How she can ignore everyone's feelings like that!" Ishida said.

Orihime's face was streaming with tears. She didn't have anything to say to defend herself.

But at that moment, it didn't matter. Two rays of red cero streaked the sky and headed straight for Ichigo's district and the Shinigami Headquarters before it crashed on the tactical shield of the Shinigami HQ. The invisible barrier supposed to protect them from this kind of threat triggered an alarm. The earth shook violently. Orihime cried and stumbled clumsily against the door. Another detonation made the walls of the magic shop shake. A cloud of smoke rose in the sky. Chad helped Orihime up and followed Ishida outside. Tessai and his two little employees appeared on the threshold of the shop, armed to the teeth.

"The Primeros. They're back. Protect the magic shop." The man said to the children as he returned to the house.

Ishida was speechless. The silhouettes of Moon DarthCross and two arrancars took shape behind a cloud of smoke. Proudly watching the blaze, Moon made a blood-chilling smile.

"This is called a tactical strike!"

Lolly and Menoly nodded together while they continued to bomb the HQ with Cero in the air. If the anti-cero shield had absorbed the first shocks, the villa's windows and bay windows soon exploded. Through the smoke, Moon could see the shinigami trying to evacuate the building.

"Things are not going exactly as planned. So, I find myself forced to improvise." Moon said as she opened the Hojō book. "Let's see if the magic of the Shinigami is as powerful as they said! Key to our wildest dreams ... Key to the celestial world ... Key to the abyssal vaults ..."

Nothing happened.

"A thousand souls will feed the river of shadows in exchange for your clarity ..."

The river Onose underneath suddenly dried out. A flash of light crossed the sky.

"Three red ribbons ... Seven fighters ... Fifteen nations of men ... Chanting their freedom ... In the dark night ... In the midst of revolution ... Throwing stones ... serves no purpose."

Orihime remained paralyzed. It was all happening so fast. Passers-by around the magic shop collapsed at the same time. Cars crashed against each other. A helicopter crashed against a tower in the financial district. A school bus filled with children stopped in the middle of a crossroad. The young redhead raced towards them but froze in her track when she realized the same thing was happening down the street. She turned toward Ishida. He was just like her. He had no idea what was happening. Ichigo! Orihime bit her lips. She had gotten used to always rely on him. Yet if she learned anything, it was that she couldn't do that anymore unless she wanted to see him dead. _I reject._ She tried to use her power to wake all these people to no avail.

"Screams of ferocious beasts ... Wheel of fate ... Human entrails feed this earth its due reward. Open a passage, Keeper of the key to our dreams. Nine lives…"

The black clouds formed a siphon in the sky. It started to rain. It's tainted red water fill the Onose river quickly.

"It's workin' !" Lolly cried out joyfully. She would soon be able to find her beloved Aizen-sama." We're almost there!"

"Bed of brambles ... Opaque or clear walls ... Makes the sun disappear, Kiboruto, guardian of the stars."

This mother preparing the meal for her children, this gas station attendant filling up for a customer, the customer in question behind his wheel, one-third of the inhabitants of Karakura fell back one after the other. Some even saw their souls detach themselves from their bodies, and their chains of fate break immediately.

"Garden of broken bones ... Rivers of tears ... Key of shadows ..."

Orihime concentrated with all her might to increase the amplitude of her powers. She needed to stop this. _I reject._

"Santen Kesshun ..."

A transparent yellow triangle materialized above her. But it was by no means enough to contain the souls that were already floating in the sky. Uryū shot a hundred Quincy arrows in the direction of Menoly. Lolly turned to Orihime, Menoly to Uryū, they joined their hands and counter-attacked with each one a ball of cero ten times more powerful.

" Take this, silly! And that! And that !" Lolly snickered diabolically. Menoly opened another Garganta freeing a gang of Adjuchas, adding to the general confusion.

Orihime felt her shield tremble. She gathered her strength, but even her broken arm hurt with the exertion. She had to protect. She had to protect. The triangle flickered, decreasing in volume to better enlarge before decreasing again. Focus. She was struggling to maintain its integrity. She screamed in pain. It burned. Tears in her eyes, her face scratched by the shards of glass and the branches torn from the trees flying her way. She was trying to hold on to just four souls, like wandering specter, rising to the sky, while Ichida and Chad continued to oppose the two arrancars.

"Orihime watch out."

Orihime looked up. She literally didn't have time to move that a Cero strike blasted her shield in pieces, and she was sent back crashing against the walls surrounding the Magic shop. Blood filled her mouth as she collided with the wall, and she couldn't breathe.

There had been silence. There had been the quiet death of words. It had supplanted the pain of losing his helmet. The pain of his mask eroding...That had supplanted everything. He had drifted into limbo to better repair his injured spiritual envelope. But it was enough for him to hear her cry in the dark night for the suffering to increase tenfold. With his mouth open, he took a deep breath. Air seeped into his lungs at once, and he straightened up as best he could, caught in a fit of cough. How long had he not feel the need to breathe? Then the noise...

**Most Wondrous Battle Music Ever: Power Of Will-Alan Al**

Grabbing the blankets on which he was lying, his eyes closed, he rolled aside and crawled to the entrance of the room. Gripping the doorway with his black claws, he hoisted himself halfway up before finally managing to straighten up. He staggered out of the house, blind. Ulquiorra staggered a few feet from Orihime. He lowered his head at an odd angle. That spiritual pressure…

Chad and Ishida turned at the same time. A large tornado was born where Ulquiorra Schiffer stood, eyes closed. The sky was crackling and fracturing into a red inferno... Even the clouds looked bloody. Everything turned critically red. Three Adjuchas were racing towards Orihime.

Ulquiorra stood there at this odd angle like the living dead. Orihime opened her eyes groggily. She gasped. What was he doing here? Her mouth went dry, and she didn't even realize Tessai was helping her to her feet. She didn't even see the Adjuchas coming their way. She was staring at… He was… He almost looked human standing there without his helmet. Without his mask. With a grimace, he opened his eyes. His green eyes usually empty and dead…was so vivid... Shining... Ulquiorra opened his eyes, and blinding white replaced the darkness. Patterns formed objects. Ishida and Chad were retreating toward the shop as more hollows appeared. Jinta and Ururu were doing the same. The group was surrounded.

Ulquiorra touched his head, looking for his helmet. _It means like Ichigo, you cannot lose._ He took another step staring at his reflection in a puddle of water. He felt his blood pumping in his veins. Everything was happening in slow motion around him. He closed his eyes and stared at his reflection. Images of Grimmjow kissing Nelliel... A sensation of cold as Tia Harribel leaned over Ice... He remembered... The beast was howling inside him to be unleashed. " _My dearest brethren... "._ The fall of the Father of all hollows. His desperate wandering in the desert. Aizen. Gin. Tosen. The Espada. At last, he remembered the redhaired who extended her hand to him.

Menoly pointed again in his direction. Orihime didn't know what possessed her really, but she just started to run toward him. His stillness unnerved her. She sprinted with all her strength. She just had one logic. There was no way he could defend himself in the state he was in.

Ulquiorra stared at his reflection, tears of blood streaming down his cheeks. His face… He was whole again. He was back. He saw his face without the mask… Without the shame. Without regrets. Without confusion. It was the beast underneath shouting proudly… It was the beast being hungry. Before the Cero strike Ulquiorra, Orihime held her shield up again screaming. Hearing her scream, Ulquiorra spun back toward the disturbances and roared like a legion of Menos Grande.

Tessai, Chad, and Uryu turned toward him, unsure what to do.

Ulquiorra jerked back. All the Adjuchas immediately melted on the floor. With a finger snap, the liquid streamed toward Ulquiorra as if it had a will of its own and latched on his bare feet. He looked up the sky and Menoly crashed on the ground like a fallen Meteor.

"Fuck…Menoly…" Lolly screamed before she opened a Garganta and disappeared.

Menoly crawled out of the small crater, gasping for air.

"Fuck! Fuck! Let go…That fucking hurt, you asshole. What's wrong with you?"

He turned toward her passively.

"Don't do this to me…"

Ulquiorra said nothing. He currently answered to no one.

"No!"

The blonde was clinging to the ground with all her might meanwhile the rest of her body glided toward him. She tried to stab the ground with her zanpakutō. It didn't work.

 _Hear the call, slave._ The words resonated in her mind while he didn't even talk. She dropped on her scraped knees, the palms of her hands and claws bloody. But even if she was fighting it with every fiber of her being, the call of a Vasto Lorde was something so strong, there was no way she could refuse him. Even if she knew he was going to kill her…. She couldn't even question how come she knew this. It's not like she was ever in the presence of a Vasto Lorde before, but this she knew to be true. It was like her own blood was telling her the story of how she was about to die.

Orihime just stared at them dumbfounded.

"Ul-quiorra..." She whispered.

"Fuck….No! I don't want to end like this… Go to hell! My master is Aizen-sama! He is your master too. What are you doing?"

His master. He had no master but the Red King himself. Twitching his head on the side, he accentuated his pull. Menoly slid completely on the ground. She was almost there. He was going to absorb her just like the Adjuchas earlier since he was their Lord and Savior. It was inevitable.

"I'm sorry… I didn't know… She was yours. I'm sorry. Please, forgive me… Please..." She sobbed with a runny nose.

Ulquiorra blinked, his focus shifting quickly as he stared at the oddest angle at his left side. He grabbed Lolly by the throat before she fully materialized outside the Garganta. Then, he slammed her into the ground like she was nothing but an insect. A crater formed as the earth rippled like water under his feet, the testament of the strength of his retaliation. Orihime jumped startled by the suddenness and the brutality of it all. Chad leaped away from the crack forming in the ground.

Lolly couldn't emit a sound as a spurt of blood escaped her throat. In a desperate attempt to defend herself, she stabbed Ulquiorra in the neck with her zanpakutō, Scolopendra. He let go of her like she was a hindrance but made no signs her attacks had any effect on him. She rolled aside. The minute he let go, she crawled with her battered body, using the last of her strength, leaped toward Menolly to catch her and disappeared in a Garganta.

Ulquiorra said nothing. His eyes focused on his surroundings. He was starving.

"Ulquiorra."

He turned slowly toward Orihime, seeing her for the first time.

"You... I was so scared she might..."

He registered faintly the mix of fear and worry in her voice. Then he realized her voice was more and more distant as if she wasn't standing right in front of him.

"Whistle the wind! Roar the trees! Slow the wheel of fate! Dry the rivers!"

The lights went out. He lost consciousness as suddenly as he woke up earlier. He crashed face-first on the ground. Moon, that everyone seemed to have forgotten in the sky, continued to aim her prayer at the heavens. The sky crackled above their head.

By  [ benderZz ](https://www.deviantart.com/benderzz)

Chad watched his friends faltered one by one. Orihime no longer seemed able to stand. She joined Ulquiorra on the ground. Uryū was aiming at Moon all he cool but his arrows fizzled before impact. Chad couldn't stay idle in this fight. After Ichigo's sacrifice, he rushed towards Moon who was still reciting the verses from the book of Demonic Transgression.

"El directo!"

Moon held her hand out.

"Guardian of Heavens, I demand my reward. Give me Kiborutō [1]"

A flash of light enveloped the city. Standing in the flame-ravaged garden of the headquarters, Kurotsuchi watched the duel with amusement. The boy was no match. It wouldn't last much longer. While Unohana was busy repatriating the wounded in the Senkaimon, he had an incredible chance of being able to observe, without risking being disturbed, the use of transgression Kido channels, and to see the creation of an interdimensional key of a such power. Should he pass this opportunity only because a hundred or a thousand humans were going to die? Kurotsuchi reasoned that it was out of the question. This research material was priceless. He smiled broadly behind his mask.

Mizuiro Kojima observed the sky, as dismounted as a stormy ocean, his smartphone in hand. He was surrounded by mounds of lifeless bodies, high school students, teachers ... Keigo ... Tatsuki ... Chizuru ... Anonymous faces ... Some souls floated, sucked by the black hole in the sky.

Mizuiro tapped the keys on his phone. The screen animated with various hieroglyphs was reflected in his black eyes.

The ground trembled under his feet. Chad. Mizuiro closed his eyes for a second praying that his soul would find rest. Souls, there would be a whole bundle to be repatriated this evening. There, where the quiet giant had struck the ground, rose a cloud of dust. From where he was, Mizuiro could see perfectly. He could very well guess the ultimate outcome. When a way of demonic transgression was opened, it was simple. Many souls were crushed. Many people die.

In a rumble, the clouds moved apart and a gigantic hand appeared through the opening. Moon was speechless before the phenomenon. The hand spread its fingers to give her a golden sphere decorated with ancient hieroglyphs. The Primeros accepted the offering with trembling hands. Then she burst into laughter.

"That's it? That's just it? It was ... Oh wow! I did it ... Ha haha! I did it!"

The Primeros moved back leaving the titanic hand to retract. Her face froze in a grimace. She looked down. Her fingers gradually disappeared. Her cry echoed in the atmosphere as she realized in horror that she was completely disappearing, swallowed by the dark hole. She was falling. Menoly materialized behind her. She caught up with the sphere and pushed Moon to her certain death.

"I ... I'm dying ... I ..."

Menoly wiped the blood of her own face, disdainfully.

"Sorry! It's no luck! Koshinko had said it could happen, right? Too bad! Oops, I think Lolly and I just forgot to warn you."

Moon shouted one last time before disappearing. Their work done, Lolly and Menoly slipped back into the Garganta, watching with detachment and contempt, the ants at the bottom. The Quincy and the redhead were leaning around the Giant's body. The two young fraccion smiled. Their dearest wishes were soon to come true. Lolly and Menoly exchanged a knowing wink. Aizen-Sama will be so proud.

On the ground, Orihime staggered to her feet. She groggily walked toward Chad's body. She didn't know how long she stood there, blinking. Uryū was holding his head with tears in his eyes. It contrasted so much with the frenzy earlier, it was dizzying how silent the town had become. She couldn't even put words on it. She stared at his lifeless body.

He took several minutes for Uryū to realize and when he did, he dropped on his knees, rolled Chad on his back and started compressions. In the back of his mind, he knew he should call his father… or somebody…anybody for help. But also, in the back of his mind, was the distinct realization that this was not supposed to happen. It was not supposed to happen.

Tessai just stood behind them.

"It's no use. He's gone. They're all gone." He said.

Orihime turned. She barely paid attention to the bodies in the streets. She was suddenly overwhelmed with a wave of nausea, her mind reeling with thoughts. What just happened? Did they lost? Was it the end of the world? She dropped on her knees next to Ulquiorra and started to cry.

Sitting on the edge of the tallest building in town, the Kojima tower, Mizuiro Kojima brought his phone closer to his ear.

"Code name: Reisan, to the report."

He let a few seconds pass, while his call was authenticated by the central office server. He was transferred immediately.

" We're in the middle of something important. Remind me why you're not here."

"Me too. It has began. Kiborutō just been summoned by these people out of the blue. They got the Key to the Abyssal vaults."

"How many casualties?"

"A thousand…Maybe more... Don't know… Something like a lot…"

"…Good, his majesty is very hungry these days. These kinds of offerings will certainly please him. Come back immediately."

"Transfer just started…It's still my jurisdiction."

"I don't care. I need you now."

"One of my best buddies just died."

There was no answer. Just the sound of a disconnected call. Mizuiro grimaced. Fuck! What a shitty day through and through! He stood up as the clouds cleared above his head. He closed his eyes and…He was gone. Like a gust of wind. **Denshi.** Displacement technique of the highest level. The clouds accumulated again as if nothing happened. Thunder roared in the distance. It started to rain.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Kiborutō is obtained using Hojō, a way of demonic transgression. The Key to the Abyssal Vaults is an artifact that allows the user to open a passage in almost any dimension. To obtain it, it is necessary to pronounce a forbidden spell and to proceed to the sacrifice of a thousand souls and the sacrifice of the summoner if he is not powerful enough.  
> \------  
> Next chapter = Comatosis


	50. Comatose

* * *

**Byakuya Kuchiki**

Captain of the Sixth Division

Head of the Kuchiki Clan

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Husband of Hisana Kuchiki

Some days he forgot what he had lost. Some days he wanted to have it all. Only until now, he had always managed to keep this a secret.

* * *

Byakuya stopped on the threshold of the Kuchiki hall, his arrival plunging the assembly gathered into a kind of stupor. All his clansmen rose from their seats. 69 Families represented, 850 men were gathered on that day. Byakuya took a step and paused again. In perfect alignment, they all bowed respectfully. Byakuya greeted them with a sharp nod. He was never that expressive, to begin with, but an unusual frown marred his features. Something bothered him since the girls left earlier. He didn't know what exactly, but this get-together needed to be expedited quickly. He silently went to his seat, his grandfather on his right, Shane still dressed in the Gotei uniform on his left.

By  [ sunnyday81 ](https://www.deviantart.com/sunnyday81)

Mimosa served him a cup of tea. As his guests made their way to their seats, he picked up the cup and brought it to his lips. He was surprised that it had no taste, absolutely no taste at all. He was on the verge of calling his handmaiden Mimosa to the rescue before remembering the last time he was unhappy with her, it literally brought the girl to tears. All that over a banana biscuit. He flinched internally. When was that? He couldn't quite remember.

" Yamada Kai. Son of Yamada Giro. Descendants of Guro Sakeba."

The man bowed down respectfully. Byakuya barely paid attention to his face, turning to Manami for council with a frown. That name was familiar. Yet, he couldn't quite remember where he heard it. Oh yeah, Sakeba Guro was an eminent member of the Originals, fighting with Natsuo Kuchiki in the First Rebellion. That was until he was declared a traitor and banned from Soul Society.

"Disgraced Sakeba Guro?" He asked.

"My forefathers may be as disgraced as yours were greedy shopkeepers, but yes, that very one. " Kai said.

There was a strong rumor in the room and a couple of angry protestations.

" So, you Sir, mean to tell me your lineage equals mine?" Byakuya retorted enigmatically, his face neutral.

There were a couple of protests at his choice of words. But his hand raised, Byakuya silenced them all.

"I know it's difficult to believe for someone like you, descending from a noble family, that others may have contributed to your lifestyle. Still."

The man looked around him with disdain.

"Said the homeless man. But it's not hard to conceive at all that my ancestors build a legacy while yours were busy attending other vulgar needs." Byakuya said, provoking the hilarity in the assembly. His face remained cold.

"You're as prideful as they say, Kuchiki-sama."

"I am the Blood that made me some might say," Byakuya said.

"I am Homeless, but free."

Byakuya locked eyes with the man for the first time.

"Is it as a free man that you request my vote for a position in the central 46 Council? Yet, you obviously despise what I represent."

"I do."

Another protest from the crowd.

"I appreciate your honesty. I can also see you're unafraid."

"Why should I be afraid to stand for my beliefs?"

Byakuya smirked. He needed to rein on his temper on his immediate impulse to engage this man in a fight.

" Why should you have my support?"

"You are heavily part of a system that is currently archaic and destined to crumble. I am for change. I am for evolution."

"That's not very engaging. Anything else?"

"You want to survive the next era."

Byakuya turned to Ginrei as if to check that he heard that last one correctly.

"Is that a threat?" Shane said, his face blazing red with anger.

Byakuya stopped him firmly.

"I shall ask again, why should you have my support?"

Another man lowered his head to the ground, while Kai and Byakuya stared each other down.

"Your grace… We are deeply in your debt for allowing us this time with you. We know you are a busy man. You understand for my master, the stakes are significant. It's about the future of Soul Society. Kuchiki-sama's vote will really weigh in the balance. My master is determined to serve the interests of the people as best he can. As far as I can remember, this has always been his dream. He is the best candidate for this position. He really wants to help the people."

"Your master will get himself killed before changing anything for the people of the Rukon-district," Shane said, his arms crossed.

"Who's threatening now?" The servant said.

Byakuya gave Shane a glare, silencing him.

"You came to me."

"You married for love," Yamada said bluntly.

Byakuya frowned. Senbonzakura, on its stand, moved almost imperceptibly. Surely this guy was aware he was navigating in dangerous territories.

"That is uncommonly rare amongst your kind. You, going against the rules. You didn't care to appear weak to exercise your right. Choosing as a free man. I thought I shall give him a chance. To do the right thing again."

All hell broke loose, there was a public uproar in the room as the 69 leaders of the Kuchiki Clan rose as one, demanding this guy head. Byakuya turned to his grandfather, surprised to see Ginrei standing his hand on his zanpakutō, ready to lead the charge. He rose his hand again slowly.

"So, you believe you have found one common ground with the Kuchiki Head?"

They resumed their chat as if nothing happened, staring in each other's eyes.

"I simply believe you understand the sometimes constraints of rules. Especially when some of those rules are stupid and outdated."

"You didn't come here for my vote. You don't care for anyone's vote. If you are the man, you said you were. If anything, you came here as a warning."

Kai smirked boldly. His help bowed down again in panic.

"That's not it. I am sorry Kuchiki-sama feels this way. All my master wants would be for you to understand his devotion to the people of Rukongi and help him."

Byakuya and Kai were still locked into a fierce battle of glare. Like he would help an anarchist?!

"Would you be nice enough to gift me with a private tour of your incredible estate, Kuchiki-sama? The legend says there is no greater place in Soul Society. You must be quite the guide, and we can spend the time getting to know each other better. You will find that we have quite a few things in common. I am also happily married, and knowing my wife, she must have wandered around."

Byakuya relaxed on his seat. He silently called for Mimosa to pick up the tea tray.

"Don't do it, Cousin? He is toying with you." Shane said, his head held low. His eyebrows were tense over his brown eyes. Byakuya shrugged. He locked eyes again with Kai, cold and deadly. Byakuya motioned for him to stay behind with the others.

"Of course, let it be my pleasure."

They walked together out of the room, Byakuya's hands nonchalantly behind his back. They made their way in silence in the exterior corridors. Byakuya paused. He should have asked his intendant to look into the disappearance of the Kuchiki Seal. His guest took the lead of the convoy naturally, complimenting the garden and the excellent weather. They slowed down as they reached the bridge to the East Garden.

"You didn't take the bait. I congratulate you. An earthly spirit like you."

His words startled Byakuya. The other man stopped on the bridge to watch his reflection in the pond. Byakuya mirrored him.

"You will be stopped whatever you decide to accomplish. You know we will stop you."

"Guro Sakeba, my great-grandfather… He was a hero to his people. A decent man. He was part of the Originals. He even stood where you stood as a Gotei 13's captain. He was robbed of his destiny by the very people he pledges his loyalty too… just like you, one day. I am here to make sure to put an end to this."

Byakuya swallowed hard.

"He frayed with hollows…breed with them. He was a wretched soul who lost his mind."

"No, he fell in love and choose as a free man to build a family in a world he thought he helped freed."

"Breeding with hollows is a heresy. They are animals. And freedom is an illusion people hid behind when they commit the irreparable."

"Did you know he brought children to this world. Children who once called Soul Society a home. They were chased and murdered."

"Like I said, he destroyed his own legacy." Byakuya said.

"It's funny how you people are quick to believe a lie."

"It's funny how certain people are quick to make up another reality."

Kai snickered.

"You're one to talk. Ah! What was I expecting? You're the great Kuchiki Byakuya. The man who never made any mistakes. She said you were stubborn on a supernatural level. She was still underestimating you, poor child. "

**Ludovico Einaudi - Experience**

****

**by Sepheria**

Byakuya was about to retort when he noticed a slouched silhouette under a crown of a cherry tree on the other shore. His words died on his lips. Every noise died anyway. Just the low rumble of his heartbeat in his chest as a soundtrack.

Kai frowned, seemingly surprised.

"Oh! That's my wife. Don't mind her! She is a bit clueless about etiquettes... She doesn't mean any harm… unlike me." Kai said, his eyes shifting quickly into two reptilian's orbs.

Byakuya shifted his attention from Kai Yamada to the woman with a frown. Her features were bland and unremarkable from where he was standing, her head curly with brown and… blond locks of hair. She was slouched at the feet of the tree, her arms snuggling against its roots like a pillow.

"Your wife?"

"Yes."

His wife. No. That sounded wrong. Byakuya frowned, then he shook his head, feeling suddenly light-headed. So many thoughts clashed in his head suddenly. He remembered the lost Kuchiki seal. He remembered Shane's words. He locked eyes with Shane's hazel eyes at that moment. Except he didn't have his eyepatch.

"Kuchiki-sama…"

Byakuya stood on the edge of the bridge, holding onto the railings, staring at the impeccably neat garden before him. He stared at the cherry blossoms, deeply lost in thoughts. Birds tweeted happily, soaring from tree to tree. The pond was lively with Koi fishes jumping out of the water every now and then. None of it makes sense.

He heard the distinct laughter of Rukia and Hisana in the distance. He spun around. They were back. Finally. But before, he went back on his path to join them. He stopped again and change course.

A sweet smell in the air, Byakuya looked again under the tree, except the woman was no longer there. He dashed after a fleeting silhouette disappearing behind a range of oak and plum tree.

"Hey! Where are you going, Kuchiki-sama?" He vaguely heard behind him.

Before he could even reason with himself, he cut her off, dashing forward. She didn't seem the least bit surprised and quietly continue on her way, head down, her brown and blond locks waving in the wind. The red ribbon which held her opulent mane slid towards the ground, carried by the strong breeze. The charms in her hair tinkled to the rhythm of a familiar melody. He had her name on the tip of his tongue. Her name was ...

" Yamada-san?"

She continued on her way. Wasn't that her husband's name?

He stared at the ground and watched her ankle caressed the ground, slithered on it with an almost reptilian suppleness.

The shadow of her foot on the paved path was like the open mouth of a snake ready to bite. Not a snake, instead it may have been a lizard he just saw. He concentrated. The heel of her foot hit the ground again. There was something familiar about the way she moved ... An air of threat. He followed her through the maze of hedges and flowers.

In a heady rhythm, his heel hit the stone surface again. The idea that he was unarmed crossed his mind furtively before disappearing in favor of a feeling of fascination. The same disturbing sound as she glided masterfully across the floor. Her right foot hit the ground, raising a small cloud of dust.

_"Let me be sincere in turn! Your cuisine has no taste!"_

_"It is not very nice to say, especially when you have refused to taste it at least once."_

_She smiled with cheeks so plump they looked edible_.

_"Surprise me."_

He looked up. The woman offered him strawberries. Standing in the middle of the cherry blossoms still in bloom, the icy wind carrying the first fragrances of spring, Byakuya was not thinking, "It's not the season." He was thinking, "why this woman was always trying to force-feed him."

Worst, he was not hungry at all. He barely had anything earlier. Byakuya frowned, remembering he ate nothing back then. Byakuya looked up at the sky. Her favorite kind of clouds was approaching.

" Stop doing that." He harshly said.

Irritating. It was deja vu. Didn't they have this conversation before, right? _You are irritating. All the time. You constantly irritate me. You are painful. You are annoying. You are rude. You are unbearable. You are maddening!_

It was deja vu.

_She was holding a knife, and the vegetables jumped in the pan, singing. Her lips were telling him a playful story._

" If you are Happy, Kuchiki-sama. Don't say anything." The devil woman suddenly said.

To believe that he was satisfied with just this. What was she thinking? What was that feeling supposed to be called? Should this be happiness?

She stared at him, forlornly with big green eyes.

He had her name on the tip of his tongue. Che! What was it again? He closed his eyes. Shane partially lost his sight, trying to rescue Stella. Ginrei's hair was white and not black since the death of his son. Hisana… Hisana was...She was not supposed to be here. To think he had been able to forget ... The world around him seemed to undulate on itself. Before he even called her again, before he said her name, the brunet covered his mouth with her chubby hands.

" Don't say anything, Kuchiki-sama. Don't say anything if you're happy. Please. Trust me."

He remained silent for a moment. She had a strange glow illuminating her green eyes. Byakuya realized their shade was different. There was no peculiar purple in the green, no dream in those eyes, no clouds, no strange shadows playing. He stepped back like it was a warning.

"Don't do it."

What did it mean? What would happen if he called her by her first name? What would happen if he turned his back on this illusion? He turned towards the house in the distance. Rukia ... Hisana ... Black and white. Like on the negative of a photo, the Kuchiki manor stood in black and white. They were walking hand in hand.

" I could watch Kuchiki-sama be happy. It might be worth it if Kuchiki-Sama is happy."

" None of this is real."

"What does it mean to be real? This is perfection. This is Heaven. It is what your heart desire."

The young woman stood behind him. He instinctively searched for Senbonzakura and realized he couldn't feel his zanpakutō? How did he get there?

" I am…"

"Yes, you are… If you're happy, just say it. There's no shame in being happy."

She stepped back again, clasping her hands wisely.

" Hisana and Rukia?"

"Isn't that what Kuchiki-Sama always wanted deep inside?"

Byakuya slowly nodded.

"To see his beloved wife reunited with his missing sister. They look so close. More than sisters ... Like, mother and daughter ... Kuchiki-sama and Hisana are happy together, and Kuchiki-sama will soon be a father. He always dreamed of being a father...To have a family like the one he lost."

He nodded again. Indeed, it had always been his dearest desire.

" The life he couldn't have with Hisana ... The family that poor little Rukia deserved ... If Kuchiki-sama is happy ..."

" I can stay with them."

It was more of a statement than a question. The young woman nodded.

" If Kuchiki-sama wishes."

" I can live with Hisana."

" If Kuchiki-sama wishes."

" I could die with her."

The creature blinked.

"Don't be so gloomy. Everyone is benefiting. If Kuchiki-sama wants something to eat ... Food is in abundance. All that Kuchiki-sama desires ... will be offered to him on a platter... What was it? What gave it away? Did I go overboard with the memories of her dead husband? He was always such a hindrance. It was always tricky using him, but a little piece of realism is necessary for the magic to work. Was it that this time the devil was really in the details? Impressive."

Byakuya turned toward the creature slowly. The world gradually shifted into sepia tones. At this point, Hisana and Rukia crossed the bridge, holding each other's arm. He frowned.

"If Kuchiki-Sama is hungry ... Everything Kuchiki-sama wants ..."

He shook his head, clearly aggravated.

"You… You're killing me, Keikosuki Ichinose. Explain yourself."

The silver carps remained suspended in the air again. The stream was frozen. The birds paused in the air. The woman observed her surroundings suddenly worried. That never happened before. She clapped in her hands, and the trees started to shed their leaves in slow motion. A cat appeared on the top of the bridge, licking its left paw. Byakuya tilted his head to the sight, mesmerized.

"Don't you say that name again…" The woman moaned. " Whatever you want? I will give you whatever you want."

"That strange woman… She really said I was stubborn to a supernatural level ?" Byakuya finally asked, his eyes cold and detached. "Well, she is the worst.

Instead of an answer from Persephone, he found himself gasping for air suddenly. Byakuya opened his eyes and realized he was buried under the rubble of the Sekkiseki walls of the Seireitei. A roar tore the atmosphere apart. Persephone destroyed another outer wall with his tail.

_Everything Kuchiki-sama wants ..._

Byakuya crawled under the debris, pushing a block of granite with his fist. The intersection of stone exploded under the impact and raised a new cloud of dust. Byakuya made another attempt to extricate himself from his hole before collapsing again under more falling rocks. He closed his eyes again. Someone was digging him out. At least he thought someone was. It had to be Shane.

"Kuchiki-taicho, Wake up! Kuchiki-taicho ..."

The face of his vice-captain split before his troubled eyes. He was going to be sick. His face streaked with blue scratch marks; he wanted to throw up. A tremor shook him from the tip of his fingers to his spinal cord, he started to convulse.

" Kuchiki-taicho?"

Shane, was it? What was he doing? What was he waiting for? He distinctly felt firm hands around him, pulling him on top of a pile of debris.

" Kuchiki-taicho ... Stay with me! Stay with me! Byakuya !"

He didn't seem like he was going anywhere. Byakuya felt numb. It seems he couldn't stay with anyone. He couldn't stay with Hisana. He choked desperately, his tremors amplifying as he was searching for air. His eyes were red, his pupil blown out with petechia. He couldn't stay with Shane either.

He had no choice. His body went still. The koi fell back into the basin, wriggling vigorously on the surface. The cat jumped nimbly and went on his way. Byakuya looked for Hisana. She was still walking along the bridge with Rukia. Keikosuki pushed the fruit into his hand.

" You must eat quickly! If Kuchiki-sama doesn't want to lose them ... If Kuchiki-sama is happy ... He must regain his strength."

"You are quite perseverant yourself."

" Shhh ... You don't want to lose them?"

Suddenly, Hisana leaned forward, caught in a fit of cough. Rukia put an arm around her sister's waist to support her. Byakuya swallowed hard. He couldn't move.

"Magic only works if you believe it. Really Kuchiki-Sama! You have to regain your strength! You want to help them, right? You want to save Hisana, right?"

She brought the fruit close to his lips.

"You're not going to let her die again?"

Byakuya lowered his head with a sigh. Hisana ... He loved her so much. Their time together had been unfairly short. But from the color of the earth to the blue of the sky, all this was just an illusion.

" Happiness? What is it really? Was it the five years that I lived with my beloved? Or the twenty years of my life spent under the supervision of my parents? Happiness, I don't remember what it supposed to look like. So, that's where you went wrong, zanpakutō. It is more difficult to recognize Happiness than the constant sadness and mourning of what is no longer ... This heart is not made for that. Even today, seeing Hisana suffer, breaks my heart, and destroys me. However, it is the feeling that brings me the closest to her."

Persephone frowned.

"I don't understand. You…"

" I knew you wouldn't. You're not human. You're not a soul. You don't bleed. You don't get to mourn. But she does… Every time you take over… She is the one you drew your strength from. She is the one paying the debt you owe. I now recognized the fear in her eyes. She was never afraid of me or anyone. She was scared of herself. Of the things she knows herself capable of…"

"What are you saying, Kuchiki Byakuya?"

"Now, she is your master. She can even be your partner. But you should never believe yourself to be her equal… or mine. You should stay in your place."

" You… You? Kuchiki ... Byakuya!"

The young woman widened her eyes, panicked. Byakuya grabbed her by her arms.

"And for god's sake, her eyes are olive when she cries. But they are mostly purple and green, especially when the sun hits her plump cheeks just right. At least you should have known that about your master!"

"How dare you?" She struggled to get free.

" Keikosuki ..."

" Stop it."

"Keikosuki ..."

" Do not say her name so colloquially."

"Keikosuki!"

" Do you want to lose it all?"

He twisted her arms even more. He didn't care to lose what he didn't have anyway.

" Keikosuki Ichinose! Stop being lazy! Wake up! Now!"

Hisana collapsed on the floor, convulsing violently. Byakuya did not take his eyes off the Fake Suki-chan. Hisana was in him. She would be with him forever. This pale imitation of his lost love was not worth it.

" Keikosuki Ichinose, snap out of it !"

" I told you not to pronounce her name! Suki-chan is mine! Suki-chan ... is mine! She's mine! Mine! You don't matter! "

" I think you don't remember your place, Zanpakutō."

" Enough! Enough! This is not how this works! This is my world! I decide who lives or who dies…"

Persephone pushed back hard against Byakuya. The frail clone of Suki-Chan staggered. The young woman looked at him with pure hatred. Her green gaze gave way to golden reptilian pupils. His features morphed before Byakuya's eyes.

Byakuya stared at the monster with contempt and disgust. Suki slowly straightened up. His voice changed to a deeply masculine baritone voice.

" See, I'm the one who is fed up with your insolence, Kuchiki Byakuya. You're here because I wanted it so. I have no master. I answer to no one. You and your kind will learn to bow down. Look at us! We are above you. "

A glance on his right and one on his left, Byakuya realized he was surrounded. Soldiers of his personal guard, members of his entourage, soldiers of his division, even his vice-captain, Persephone, had recreated the most perfect psychological ambush.

"Remember that this is my universe. There is nothing you can do to oppose my will. No one ever survived the inferno that is Ichinose Keikosuki's Bankai. My powers are limitless. Let me share a secret, before, I only wanted to have a bit of fun with the man she admires so much. I just wanted to take a good peek at you. But now you made it personal. I may already have my fill tonight with that Primeros and all those hollows, but let's just say I'm never one to waste food."

A first soldier charged on his right. He disappeared to reappear behind him, trapping his arm in a vice before kicking his spine. He passed the second soldier over his shoulder, breaking his arm in the process. The third, he struck his temple with the edge of his hand. The fourth, he sent him tossing into the pond. The fifth and the sixth slammed an ancient oak tree simultaneously. When it was Rukia's turn to pounce on him, he alleged her suffering by breaking her neck quickly. As one entity, these allies turned enemies all rushed towards him at the same time. With a deceitful smile, Persephone watched for the moment when Kuchiki Byakuya would be most vulnerable to inflict the final blow. When Byakuya finally fell down to his knees after struggling for so long, seemingly overwhelmed by the sheer number of assailants, Persephone was ready to pounce.

BY  [ rainbowLU ](https://www.deviantart.com/rainbowlu)

* * *

**Momo Hinamori**

Vice-captain of the fifth division under the orders of Suki Ichinose

Childhood friend of Hitsugaya Toshiro

She couldn't believe that Ichinose-taicho had brought her out of a coma just to plunge her into another nightmare.

* * *

Momo took a deep breath before starting to cough. She opened her eyes slowly ... surely. For a few seconds, her eyelids quivered in the air. She raised her arm instinctively to protect her eyes from the dust. Something exploded right above her head. The sky ... The clouds ... All of it Sepia toned.

" Captain Kuchiki! Byakuya! Wake up !"

She straightened with a start. Shane was leaning over his captain. He was trying to excavate him from under the ruins.

"Shane-San! What is happening?"

Shane shook his captain again without getting an answer. He grabbed a huge boulder and rolled it further. Momo crawled on the debris to come and help him.

"Kuchiki-taicho, hey! Stand up ?"

" Shane? What happened? What happened to Kuchiki-Taicho?"

"Persephone. Persephone… He's been poisoned."

Momo shook her head.

"Captain Ichinose would never do such a thing."

"You don't get that she doesn't control anything! From where I'm standing! This creature is out of control. I am not even sure that she will regain consciousness one day."

"But if ... if she couldn't wake up, she would have said something...She would have …"

The words died on Momo's lips. Except Suki did express how nervous and scared, she was. And what if… She blinked twice, remembering Suki's face earlier. Shit.

Momo looked up to see Rigor Mortis slammed the arcane of the Senkaimon. All fangs out, Persephone rushed straight into its prey. Rigor blew a new ash cloud over the plaza. The Monitor Lizard crushed a group of soldiers in its fall.

A gust of wind blew towards them. Shane set fire to the ground before them forming a thick impenetrable wall of flames. Realizing what he was doing, Momo came to lend him a hand by lighting fires with Tobiume all around the retreating troops. The ground dangerously shook under their feet. A squirt of black liquid watered the two captains from head to toe. Persephone. His side was slashed from his collar to his hips. Momo screamed, truly horrified. Shane grabbed her by the waist and threw himself on the floor with her.

His neck wound openly bleeding, shedding black liquid on the floor like a waterfall, Persephone was propelled backward on a long distance. The earth rumbled again. The monitor hit the ground mere inches from their wall of flames. The giant Primeros threw himself on him. Slowly opening his gigantic mouth, Rigor was getting ready to let go of a cloud of his deadly ashes. He was gradually building a sphere of poisonous smoke, not unlike a Cero. If only the monster managed to unleash on them… Nothing will save them.

Persephone was down. Captain Ichinose was down.

"Come on, get up now! Persephone! Get up! Captain, get up!" Momo screamed.

"Momo, we need to move now. Captain Kuchiki can't stand up anymore. He is not even breathing. We need to move him." Shane yelled in panic, his face covered with Persephone's blood.

But Momo wasn't listening, she gathered Tobiume in one hand and ran ahead.

Shane barely had time to catch her by the arm before she launched herself into the assault on the giant Primeros. She was going to get herself killed. He gathered his strength to lift the girl by the waist.

"Momo, stop!"

She struggled fiercely before he put her back on the ground.

"If we don't move, Momo, we're the ones who will die!"

"I need to go get my captain! Shane!"

"It's no use. You will never make it! Be reasonable."

"How can I be reasonable! She is going to die if we don't do anything."

"I'm sorry. My captain is dying too. I need you to help me, Momo. I cannot do this… God, I hate him… sometimes and his stubborn ass. I do, but… fuck! We used to play together… We're family. He is a prick. But he is a decent prick. A decent leader."

Momo gasped, trying to catch her breath. Both captains saw the weakness in each other's eyes.

"I don't really wanna be alone. I don't…"

"I don't either."

They nodded. Now they were left with the matter of Kuchiki-Sama lying in the same place. Momo rushed toward him the captain and lifted him under one arm, Shane doing the same on his other side. An unidentified object crossed the sepia sky like a falling star, Shane recognized it by his declining reiatsu, as it struck the ground with force. Momo wiped her face covered in black mucus with her free hand.

"That was Madarame Ikkaku. Shit."

Three other meteors struck the ground at high speed. Soi Fon ... Sasakibe ... Komamura. It was raining officers on the large square. Kenpachi's raw reiatsu blew gusts on the Seireitei.

" It's a nightmare. It's a nightmare. It's a nightmare." Momo muttered, retreating with Shane.

They shunpo'ed as far as they could before Rigor unleashed his ashes and managed to reach behind the walls before the cloud got to them.

They both dropped Byakuya on the ground at the same time, rolled him over on his back, with Shane alternating between CPR and Ki stimulation. Momo breathed in the Captain's mouth. Byakuya had no reaction.

"Come on, Captain Kuchiki. We need you here. It's a nightmare. It's a nightmare. It's a nightmare."

With a crackling noise, the glass dome cracked and broke in several places, causing tornadoes of headwinds.

" We're losing ground. They're going to open a portal and free that bastard Aizen…"

"Aizen-Taicho ...No, we have to do something!"

"Momo?"

"If Ichinose-taicho was like Aizen-taicho, she wouldn't have told me anything. She wouldn't have admitted being scared. But she told me that she was not ready. Taicho needs me. I have to stop Ichinose-taicho. I have to wake her up before the Primeros kills her."

Momo said with determination in her eyes. She helplessly watched black blood surged uninterrupted like a waterfall from Persephone's wound.

But was it already too late?

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: La Pequeña Muerte/ La Petite Mort


	51. La Pequeña Muerte/ La Petite Mort

**La Pequeña Muerte/ La Petite Mort**

* * *

**Ulquiorra Schiffer**

Former Espada of Aizen's army

Formerly known as Cuatro

A Born dead, Running on Cold Blood, Lustful, and Greedy Creature, a hollow could represent many of the most frightening and gruesome aspects of death. But the true nature of a hollow lay in their impressive dedication to living life itself to the fullest of its possibilities. That made them simultaneously close to Mortals and close to the Gods.

* * *

By  [ Qiubi ](https://www.deviantart.com/qiubi)

Back on the bridge, he did all he could to never let go of Orihime Inoue. That much he remembered. Yet, at the time, he knew that to protect her more effectively, he had to sacrifice the hold he had on her. Everything happened in the blink of an eye, though it was neither unpredictable nor unpreventable. Understand, he wasn't making excuses for himself. Whatever she may have said about him getting closer to Kurosaki, he felt like trash with the profound knowledge that something was wrong with him. **Regresión.** The Relapse. Like a dark shadow over their heads, it was frightening a prospect to any hollow the fact that they could relapse and turn again into primitive beasts.

He let go of her small hand to unleash his zanpakutō, knowing it could be the last time he held her hand. It demanded an unexpected amount of bravery, he didn't know he would one day need, but he did it anyway. He used his resurreci **ó** n, knowing he was far from ready to do so. The burn of so much reiatsu at once started to enflame his ki in an already deteriorated Reika, meaning he was burning from the inside out, his integrity compromised. Yet, he ignored the discomfort turned into blazing agony. He used Sonido and kicked Moon away, joined Kuchiki girl in the melee, slammed Moon mercilessly against the concrete. He had to sacrifice his regeneration skills to gain speed. His wounds were critical. Yet, he doubled his speed in a matter of seconds, not even questioning the sacrifice he was making for that human. He did manage to catch Orihime back before she crashed on the floor, but it cost him the most precious time. Archer crashed onto him full force, his blades crushing Ulquiorra's unprotected face and neck, almost beheading him in the process. Blood sprayed the side of Orihime's face as his carotid was sectioned. He bled out like a waterfall with blood almost black as night, the bottom of his hollow mask exploding in the process, the pain shooting in his brain like fireworks.

Thus, Ulquiorra blacked out as a survival measure. It was that or extinction. So, he blacked out and fell into the bridge, digging a hole underneath him. Like a dead weight, he sunk in the bed of the Onose River and laid there amongst junk and water plants. His eyes were open, but he couldn't see. His mouth was open, and the last of his oxygen was spilled in the water. Then, nothing. He no longer needed to breathe. He no longer needed to see. He no longer needed any of his senses.

It had been the death of noises, patterns, and colors. The death of everything he had started to cherish just a bit.

He died.

Once more.

With the rising of darkness, silence dulled the pain of his mask eroding slowly. Darkness was nursing him back to what he was as he drifted into limbo to better repair his damaged spiritual envelope, his Reika. He didn't register being moved from there, dragged from the water by Yoruichi Shihouin. He didn't even register being shot full of liquid gold and other experimental drugs and put in a cylinder of reishi particles. From time to time, his body would be put to more tests and simulations. His reflexes were dead, his nerves ending shut down. Ulquiorra's brain gave no signs of activity on the monitor Urahara was staring at.

"I don't understand. He should get better." He said before turning to Yoruichi like he expected her to find the solutions to all his problems.

"Well, despite my extensive background, I'm not versed in Hollow emergency medical procedures. I'm just cute when I'm wearing slutty nurse clothes, or so I was told. So don't even look at me that way…"

Urahara grinned at that behind his surgical mask. He turned slightly to check her out again. She looked exquisite in that unbuttoned pink blouse. He had asked her to dress up for him; it always helps stimulate his own brain activity, to think of all the things he could do to his "kitty" when they are finished with this mess.

But right now, he needed to focus. He needed to activate his own brand of genius. He got back to his subject without a word as he skillfully pulled off the sutures in titanium he used to hold Ulquiorra's neck wound open. Without this, there was no way he could have managed to inject fluids passed his Hierro. Even in that state, the extremely durable skin of the Espada was like an armored wall. He watched it close off slowly with something akin to fascination. It was there the dangers of these creatures partly resided in.

"Well, his Reika clearly improved upon being given all ten doses of Liquid gold. Just like it did with Renji. It did help with his instability, so I guess that's a good thing. Still, it remains quite unstable. Look at that…"

With his zanpakutō, he sliced open his sternum triggering the alarm of the monitor. Spreading it with his bare hands, he silently asked Yoruichi for a hand. He pushed away his organs vital or not, noticing there was no blood flow. How strange! No blood irrigations during a long period was a bad sign for even a shinigami. He dropped some clot in a basin. Yoruichi grimaced.

"Lamp."

Yoruichi pushed the lamp while he was holding the wound open. Like a tiny pouch of human tissue, his ki, translucent and vibrating, appeared swimming in boiling liquid gold.

"It's there… See."

"Is that?"

"His ki…surrounded by the fragilized Reika. All these walls are surrounding his true soul. It's still damaged despite the gold."

Yoruichi frowned.

"So that guy's really got a soul? For real?"

"Yup… Don't be so perplex? This tiny thing we all have one."

"Well, it's an Espada. A hollow. I could never be sure these creatures actually got souls."

"Well, they do… despite some of them acting soullessly. You can let go."

Yoruichi did as she was told. This was beyond gross. Urahara watched the wound close by itself, mesmerized by the reconfiguration of tissue. He could keep it up forever. It always ended like this.

"He seems to be healing fine. That means… He is going to wake up soon?"

"Well, technically, he should have been awake… like Renji, his blood flow restored."

"So…"

"You see, I suspect that what Rigor did render their spiritual envelope, commonly called Reika, unstable like friable walls. That's how this thing can resurrect or kill people. Rendered instable, the Reika is mollified, and the creature can move spirit particles to his will. Accelerating it or slowing it. In Ulquiorra's case, it slowed the deterioration of tiny particles of spirit-matter as he died from Ichigo's fight long enough for Ulquiorra's incredible regenerative abilities to kick in. Even though it left him weak at the same time…That's why he could stand and generate a resurrection under this condition. Yet, it seemed he burned all his energy trying to maintain his integrity long enough to save Orihime. Renji was using his bankai when that happens. Since a bankai and a Resurrección are similar, there may be something to it. I will send Unohana a couple of notes. She has to stimulate Renji's regenerative skills to the edge too. Unlike Ulquiorra, it may take him months… years… to recover at this rate. I wonder if some kind of soul transfer will work?"

"Nope. No soul transfer. That is crazy, in addition to being incredibly dangerous and unethical. Can we stay on the ethical part of science, Kisuke?"

Urahara got startled at the mention of his name. The intonation in her voice had been cold and firm. He stared at her and noticed she was swallowing.

"Of course. Of course, Yoruichi is always right. But maybe there is something else… there at play. Something we're not seeing… worth seeing."

"I don't get any of this, Kisuke. That's your territory, not mine."

"Indeed."

"Yet, I will draw the line at uber testing the guinea pig that could actually destroy the town. So, does that mean we know how to fight that other thing? It's all I want to hear."

"Not yet."

"Uh, I swear you would say that." Yoruichi groaned.

"I'm working on it, Yoyo."

"Don't call me that with the voice of that person whose promises meant shit." She retorted, annoyed.

He stared at her, annoyed too. She was supposed to be a nice quiet fantasy.

"I will absolutely call you however I want." He said with a whine, his expression being suddenly dark and rebellious. "I mean, if I can't call you whatever I want, who can? Tell me? Who can?"

He said with a great sense of tragedy.

"Kisuke…"

"Yoruichi…"

"You're moody too. Something is bothering you. What is it? Make it quick so we can move on."

His face closed off immediately.

"Well, he is not improving for a start. I pumped him full of gold I had Tessai steal in Kurotsuchi's office in the Shinigami HQ, and all I got was a meh reaction. I am feeling underappreciated."

"You said that already. I will stop you there. We need to move on. To how we fight this thing. We don't have much time left." Yoruichi sat on a stool, adjusting the short skirt of her nurse uniform.

Still lost in his thoughts, Kisuke dropped his hands on either side of her thighs, spreading them open as he crouched to perverted level. He went on, obviously lost in thoughts.

"His stats are better, but he is not improving. Reika is still frail. But we could still confirm that Renji's stats got significantly better in a shorter period of time. On the other hand, Renji's wounds are not closed. He is still very much suffering from the decompression of spirit-matter. While Ulquiorra's wounds are closing on their own, his Hierro is active. Longer time has passed since his resurrection. This could explain that? Yet, at this instant, he doesn't demonstrate any reflexes of any kind. There's no brain activity. His mask is still eroding. That's what I don't understand. Hollow cannot survive the loss of their masks technically. That's what we know, at least. So, it means it's not good. I don't know what to do. I have never observed a hollow subject of his class this close. I mean, he is above your typical hollow, even above your typical arrancars. His powers are atypical with two resurrections… In addition, he is something Aizen played with. Maybe it is something about the hogyouku's influence? Or just something about his nature as a hollow? What if it's something we have no data on? I don't know."

"Huh? Kisuke? What are you looking at?" Yoruichi asked with a sadistic voice.

"Just fascinating." He said.

With a sigh, he shook his head and hid his shameful face beneath her skirt, pushing his nose deep in it. Her fist raised, she was going to kill that man slowly.

"Kisuke…"

"He's dying. That's what these stats are showing anyway." He said with a muffled noise.

Yoruichi blinked twice. She finally nodded, understanding what was clearly bothering him. Kisuke was never very good at dealing with conflicts. Especially humankind.

"Does she know?"

He knew exactly who she was referring to immediately.

"I may have tried to tell her." He muttered in her panties.

"The same way you try to talk to Ichigo earlier, or you really had a clear conversation with her using nonmedical descriptive words?"

"Yoruichi, you're a mean kitty." He moaned.

"Che! I'm going with you beating around the bush like always and the girl still being in the dark? Is that it?"

She said, closing her legs on his head, smothering him to the point he could barely struggle for air. He deserved no less for his stupidity. She released pressure when it seemed like he couldn't take anymore.

"I promised her I try and save him, Yoyo."

"You did what? What's wrong with you? You never worked on a hollow before?" She groaned, holding his head firmly again.

"Weren't you there?"He said. She may have a valid point with him not having any experiences dealing with hollow anatomy, the closest he came to know about High-Class hollows and their behaviors were when he dealt with the vizards. Yet, she didn't have to put it that way. But maybe he should give Hirako-san a call just to catch up?

"I didn't think you were serious. He is still very much the enemy, you know. He is still very much dangerous. If the Gotei 13 knew he was here… If the Gotei knew he was alive… If they knew we helped… We'd be in a world of trouble."

"Come on, be a good nurse, Yoyo. You have to be nice and comfort the Doctor."

"I don't care if she is an impressionable young girl and that we like her, Kisuke. This is not right."

"He saved her."

"Well, she wouldn't need saving if he didn't kidnap her, to begin with. Twice."

"Some people don't know how to express their feelings."

"Like you… You made me dress like this."

"I love the way it holds your curves."

"Kisuke, you may inadvertently be making this Stockholm Syndrome of hers worse. She is in that phase where she like bad boys. Actually, any boys. She needs to get over him. She needs to get over boys, really. They are too damn stupid like you."

"Well, I'm a sucker for triumphant stories of redemption," Kisuke said, slowly standing up.

"You also love experimenting too much?"

"Well, there's nothing wrong with trying to help?"

"You're an idiot. I will tell Tessai to move him back to a room upstairs, and I will talk to her before we go. Like there's not much time. She needs to say goodbye. Whatever happens."

"Yoruichi… I could learn so much from studying him. Maybe there's something more I can do… Like a therapeutic Gigai. Imagine it. Will be my first? A hollow therapeutic gigai with a specially modified soul graft? It could sell like crazy!? I could develop a niche. A new market?"

"Let the guy die in peace… He did his part. You did your part. You helped. Whatever happens now, it's not in your hand. Let her say goodbye. Work on finding something to kill that behemoth because, like most people of sound minds, I have no faith in Yamamoto's fucked up plan. That's all you need to do."

Kisuke frowned and nodded.

"Do you still keep in touch with Kukkaku Shiba?"

Yoruichi shook her head and crossed her arms over her opulent chest.

"She will not wear a slutty nurse uniform for you, Kisuke."

"You didn't even ask her!"

Ulquiorra floated in translucent liquid, his mask turning to dust slowly. None of their words were currently reaching him. He was basking in a glowing green liquid. He was not dying. He was dead. That much was true. And for a hollow to be born dead again, you needed a lot of reiatsu, time, and prayers.

Prayers. It was like a steady metronome in his ears, the monotonous tone of her voice upstairs.

Her hair undone, Orihime kneeled next to her futon, her hands joined in silence. She was thinking about her brother Sora. She was thinking about Ichigo. She was asking for forgiveness for her weaknesses. If what she did hurt people, she wanted to be forgiven too. She was thinking about him. Ulquiorra. She was asking whoever was in charge of helping him recover. Because deep down, she believed he was a good person who deserved a second chance. He deserved a chance to discover that life could be full of nuances, colors, and rainbows. He could be different. Someone shouldn't have to die just because they didn't know better, because they didn't experience better. Ulquiorra wanted to scoff at that. What an incredibly naïve creature!

Unbeknownst to all of them, Ulquiorra was slowly turning the mineral elements around him into spirit matters he was using to replenish himself in a form similar to **Asshuku kaijo** [1], It was a really slow process, one that required he stopped the irrigation of all vital organs.

So, his mind had been wandering back and forth, in a desert of sterile ideas, from his one-sided conversations with Yammy to him listening to Aizen as he was explaining his plans, to him watching Grimmjow getting his arm turned to ashes, to that girl slapping him over and over, to him killing a boy who was too close to be a god, to wandering the dry wilderness in Hueco Mundo, images streaming through his brain at incredibly high rates.

He stood in front of a canvas representing a king and his heirs, their faces scratched and damaged by time, and the painting turned to ash slowly.

**"Some of us were born from regrets, others from rage or lust. You, my boy, you were born from Death itself, for I am death, empty of purposes, genuine in his goals."**

Murcielago croaked loudly as it extended its humongous black wings in the sky, hiding the moon. The manifestation of his Zanpakuto suddenly morphed into a humanoid figure, the only distinctive traits being the long blond hair floating behind him.

"Will you snap out of it, Ulquiorra? You need to protect the King."

Ulquiorra growled low, Murcielago ensnaring his waist with his tail. They both growled again.

"Sire…"

The figure did not turn.

"Wait…"

The shadow froze with both his hands in his pockets, standing very much like Ulquiorra himself.

"What are you waiting for, boy? Didn't I give you a task? Didn't I give you an order? Why are you not defending the castle?"

"I sensed her fall… Her declining reiatsu… It tore a part of me… When she fell… So, I ran to…"

"You felt that too? Well, you're really her boy, after all. How incredible, isn't it?! The prospect of the True Death! It fills me with anticipation! Knowing I am about to join her. I am counting on you then."

"Please don't go. There is something I can do. I will give up anything…"

" Am I the only one you are totally okay disappointing, Ulquiorra?"

Mammongi said, his head tilted to the side.

"I can't… do this. I don't know enough. Not without you. Not without a purpose. I am in that state because she is gone, and it's already agony."

"I gave you Death, didn't I? I gave you…"

"You gave me…Life, Father. You gave me everything."

"Then why are we having this conversation? I will free you now, you and your siblings. I free you from the bond tying our fates together. It's all yours now."

"No! Why are you doing this?! The King… They…"

" I do not owe him beyond death. He was our King. He was deserving of our loyalty and devotion. We were his favorites."

"Yeah, but he is gone now… She is gone too."

"I promised her she won't ever go alone. That's the promise I made. One day, if you manage to find that person to whom you will make that kind of promise, consider yourself lucky. Freedom will not be far. Your glorious reward won't be far."

"It's agony… Please."

"It will pass like Death. Like a shadow… You won't remember the despair. A step back. For a step forward. That is our ability."

"I never asked you. I did everything you ever asked me to do… but this…"

The shadowy figure seemed to lean over another body, stroking ebony hair, before lifting it in the air, as they both danced with the wind.

"You have got to stand on your own now. You will have to choose who you will follow to the Pit of Hell. That's the toughest choice to make. The hollows need to remember. We only need one of us to remember. Only one. Paz and I, we needed to leave someone who will remember. She gave you her unrelenting curiosity. Her wonder. Her ruthlessness. I gave you everything I had and more. I gave you a mind that cannot be enslaved. Take care of your brother and sisters. We are the Rulers of Death. The Vasto Lorde. Till the end of Time. Make sure to remind them. They're just cattle, forgive them for running wild."

He was walking away slowly when a female shadow figure held Mammongi's hands and bowed slowly.

"Ulqui-Chi! Thrive, never yield, rule wisely, have fun, do not regress, do not waste food, protect the Council, and Protect the King to Come. Make us proud."

The figures started to fade, their particles disintegrating slowly in the atmosphere.

"Goodbye, my little Hueco Centro. " Were Paz's last words.

The pain started then, blinding him as he doubled over, feeling sick and nauseous, disgusted with himself, the mask forming on his face, and hiding his shame. He should have gone with them. If only he had gone with them… He wanted to go with them.

Ulquiorra contemplated his surroundings again. Emptiness. He was surrounded by nothing. Tilting his head, he searched his reflection in a mirror made of liquid reishi. The cycle continued. He conversed only with the dead. He relived this infamous moment over and over. He was almost delirious from the echo of Murcielago grunting over and over, his claws scratching the marble floor, the voice of Orihime praying like a chant in the background.

He remembered dying a long time ago where men were scarce on the plane of existence called earth, and demons were numerous. He died as one of them. He died, probably regretted it, came back to life, hunted more souls in a neat cycle, fighting for dominance. Again and Again. The chaotic entanglement of souls. Like flesh melting together. Colliding together. Compacting together. To mesh something anew. That was what his memories were made off. No clear beginnings. Until what he was today became sentient for the first time… when Mammongi, the father of all Hollows and his Soulmate Paz Schiffer, gave him life, sacrificing a sizeable part of their souls to create something new that would be theirs and that could be left behind. Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra Schiffer was his name. He was born dead in Hueco Mundo. Not crying and wailing like any newborn infant in the living world, no simply lifted in the strongest claws toward the Moon. Under the silent gaze of thousands of hollows and Adjuchas, his eyes opened on this world for the first time.

All of a sudden, a sound managed to pierced that fog, strange visions were assaulting his brain at once.

A Cero strike blasted Orihime's shield in pieces, as she was standing in Ulquiorra's garden, and she crashed against the brick fences surrounding the Magic shop. Blood dripped on the ground and dried there slowly. He heard the tearing of her mortal flesh. The ground was shaking. He felt the familiar tingle of dark magic in the air.

Silence is the mother of a nation. There is only silence in Hueco Mundo. None of that agitation you will find in the Land of the living. He was accustomed to it. Yet, when he heard her voice, his soul was no longer at rest. It boiled down to how quickly he could get close to that voice. It boiled down to how hot his blood would boil under his Hierro. It boiled down to the ribbon of fate tying her to him and him, strangling his neck. It was enough for him to hear her cry for the suffering to increase tenfold.

His mouth opened with urgency, Ulquiorra inhaled sharply. Air seeped into his lungs at once, and he straightened up as best he could, caught in a fit of cough. How long had he not feel the need to breathe? Then the noise... He was almost delirious with all the ruckus outside. The sound of her cries of despair, her moan of pain… His head was exploding. The delicious smells of all the souls rotting outside… The scent of decaying death… Amidst all of it, the sweet smell of her flamboyant mane…

He remembered the red-haired. He remembered the slap she gave him when he threatened her friends. He remembered kissing her. He remembered the hunger. The memories of her were taking a lot of room suddenly. It all came in chaotic order. Colliding against each other. Like entangled souls. Like the making of a hollow.

He was in despair and in a constant state of pain. But this was as close as he would get to being alive _._

**Most Wondrous Battle Music Ever: Power Of Will-Alan Al**

Grabbing the blankets on which he was lying, his eyes closed, he rolled aside and crawled to the entrance of the room. Gripping the doorway with his bloodied black claws, he hoisted himself halfway up before finally managing to straighten up. He staggered out of the house, blind. Ulquiorra staggered a few feet from Orihime without seeing her. He slowly tried to open his eyes. To no avail. So much noise rendered the beast Mad. He lowered his head at an odd angle and opened his mouth. **Food.**

Chad and Ishida turned at the same time. A large tornado was born where Ulquiorra Schiffer stood, eyes closed. The sky was crackling and fracturing into a red inferno... Even the clouds looked bloody. Everything turned critically red. Three Adjuchas were racing towards Orihime.

Ulquiorra stood there at this odd angle like the living dead. He opened his eyes slowly as color and noises assaulted him. He was enraged at it. So much pain at once. So much pain.

Orihime opened her eyes groggily. She gasped. What was he doing here? Her mouth went dry, and she didn't even realize Tessai was helping her to her feet. She didn't even see the Adjuchas coming their way. Ulquiorra… His mask was eroding right in front of her.

Ulquiorra grabbed the side of his face with a grunt. He pulverized what was left of that mask at once. He was… He almost looked human standing there without his helmet. Without his mask.

He opened his eyes. His green eyes usually empty and dead…was so vivid... Shining...like burning Emerald. Ulquiorra opened his eyes, and blinding white replaced the darkness. The blur faded. He recognized the Heart at last.

Ishida and Chad were retreating toward the shop as more hollows appeared. Jinta and Ururu were doing the same. The group was surrounded.

The forme Espada touched his head again, looking for his helmet. _It means, like Ichigo, you cannot lose._ He took another step staring at his reflection in a puddle of water. He felt his blood pumping in his veins. Everything was happening in slow motion around him. Where was he? He closed his eyes and stared at his reflection in the pool. Images of Grimmjow kissing Nelliel, a sensation of cold as Tia Harribel leaned over Ice paraded before his eyes **. Brothers. Sisters.** He remembered. The beast was howling inside him to be unleashed. He stared at his reflection again, and he could see Murcielago looking back at him with a feral gaze. **. . .Brethren.** The creature showed his fangs in the dark **. We. No. longer. Can. Conceal. The. Heart. We. Will. Protect. It. Instead.** Murcielago was flying in the Hueco Mundo sky with another creature. The "Father of all, Hollows." **Father.** His desperate wandering in the desert. Aizen. Gin. Tosen. **Impostors.** The Espada. **Purpose.** At last, he remembered the redhaired who extended her hand to him. **Heart.**

Menoly pointed again in his direction. Orihime didn't know what possessed her really, but she just started to run toward him.

Ulquiorra stared at his reflection, tears of blood streaming down his cheeks, drawing patterns on his face. He was whole again **without the mask**. **Without shame. Without regrets.** **Without the confusion.** It was the beast underneath, shouting proudly. At last, they were free. It was the beast being hungry. It was the beast rejoicing. They will rule again. Before the Cero strike reached Ulquiorra, Orihime held her shield up again. Hearing her screams, Ulquiorra spun back toward the disturbances and roared like a legion of Menos Grande.

Tessai, Chad, and Uryu turned toward him, unsure what to do.

Ulquiorra jerked back. All the Adjuchas immediately melted on the floor. With a finger snap, they turned into a liquid that streamed toward the brunet as if it had a will of its own and latched on his bare feet. He looked up at the sky, and Menoly crashed on the ground like a fallen Meteor.

"Fuck…Menoly…" Lolly screamed before she opened a Garganta and disappeared.

Menoly crawled out of the small crater, gasping for air.

"Fuck! Fuck! Let go…That fucking hurt, you asshole. What's wrong with you?"

He turned toward her passively. Noises. Too much noise.

"Don't do this to me…"

Ulquiorra said nothing. He currently answered to no one. The blonde was clinging to the ground with all her might meanwhile the rest of her body glided toward him. She tried to stab the ground with her zanpakutō. It didn't work.

She dropped on her scraped knees, the palms of her hands and claws bloody. But even if she was fighting it with every fiber of her being, the call of a Vasto Lorde was something so strong; there was no way she could refuse him. Even if she knew he was going to kill her… She couldn't even question how come she knew this. It's not like she was ever in the presence of a Vasto Lorde before, but this she knew to be true. It was like her own blood was telling her the story of how she was about to die.

F _or I am death, empty of purposes, genuine in his goals…_

Orihime just stared at them in astonishment.

"Ulquiorra..." She whispered.

"Fuck….No! I don't want to end like this… Go to hell! My master is Aizen-sama! He is your master too. What are you doing, you fuckhead?"

Black ink spilled in one of his eyes. **He had no Master but the Red King himself.** Twitching his head on the side, he accentuated his pull. Menoly slid completely on the ground. She was almost there. He was going to absorb her just like the Adjuchas earlier since he was their Lord and Savior. It was inevitable. He was starving.

"I'm sorry… I didn't know… She was yours. I'm sorry. Please, forgive me… Please..." She sobbed with a runny nose.

Ulquiorra blinked, his focus shifting quickly as he stared at the oddest angle at his unprotected left side. He grabbed Lolly by the throat before she fully materialized outside the Garganta. Then, he slammed her into the ground like she was nothing but an insect. A crater formed as the earth rippled like water under his feet, a testament of the strength of his retaliation. Orihime jumped startled by the suddenness, and the brutality of it all, and Uryu and Tessai rushed to protect her from the blast.

Lolly couldn't emit a sound as a spurt of blood escaped her throat. In a desperate attempt to defend herself, she stabbed Ulquiorra in the neck with her zanpakutō, Scolopendra. He let go of her like she was a hindrance but made no signs her attacks had any effect on him. The wound immediately healed. He released her throat, and she crawled with her battered body, using the last of her strength, leaped toward Menolly to catch her and disappeared in a Garganta.

Ulquiorra said nothing. His eyes focused on his surroundings. Humans were lying in the streets, unconscious. He was starving—so many souls. So much for… **Cattles. Cattles everywhere.**

"Ulquiorra."

His thoughts got interrupted immediately, and he turned slowly toward Orihime like he was seeing her for the first time. She. Smelled. Like. Life. Itself.

"You... I was so scared she might...hurt you."

He registered the mix of fear and worry in her voice. It pleased him somehow. Then he realized her voice was more and more distant as if she wasn't standing right in front of him.

The Kido spells were strong, and his Reika was still too fragile, pushing him to retreat in Survival mode again. The lights went out again. He lost consciousness as suddenly as he woke up earlier. He crashed face-first on the ground.

Ulquiorra woke up back in the white chamber.

"Well, took you long enough to wake up, Dimwit."

Only he looked up to find none other than Grimmjoww Jeagerjack, sitting on a chair astride.

* * *

**Grimmjow Jaggerjacques**

Former Espada Number 6

Also known as Sexta

Gnat, cockroach and ant babysitter

Even death did not want the last King of Hueco Mundo.

* * *

Grimmjow watched Ulquiorra rose slowly from the floor. Without exchanging a word, they stared each other down with distrust for a while. Before long, they were running toward each other, springing forward. It was impossible to see who landed the first blow or how long they exchanged blows. Ulquiorra grabbed Grimmjow by his neck and wiped the table at the center with him. Grimmjow rolled on the floor, circled Ulquiorra's legs very much the same way Nel did to him once. Losing balance, Ulquiorra fell on his back, rolling on his back, he got back on his feet before Grimmjow could catch on. Striking his neck, without pausing in his stand, he lifted him in the air before crushing him face-first against the marble. He tried to annihilate him with a cero strike. Except it didn't fire. He stared at his finger and paused. Was he that damaged that he could not fire his Cero?

They were back to square one like all of this never happened. Grimmjow was the first to frown as Ulquiorra flickered his fingers toward the lights examining them. He tried again. He didn't fire. They stared at each other again. Nah! They went at it again. For the same results. They stared at each other and started back. This time Grimmjow got the upper hand. Ulquiorra doubled over on all fours as Grimmjow was kicking his guts sadistically. But after a while, they got back to square one, staring at each other in this vast empty ethereal white room. Grimmjow paused, breathing hard. It's not like he was feeling exhausted or anything. He surveyed at his surroundings, mimicking Ulquiorra's reaction earlier.

"Is this payback?" Grimmjow suddenly asked.

Ulquiorra frowned.

"Payback?"

"For my little negacion trick? For stealing that girl? "

Ulquiorra shrugged and surveyed his surroundings again. He hadn't even thought of all that. Like he'd care about all that guy's sins. As if he'd care for anyone's sins but his own. He looked at Grimmjow as if they didn't speak the same language.

For the blue-haired Arrancar, it had to be a joke. Or it had to be some kind of karma trick, him getting stuck with Ulquiorra of all people. He groaned impatiently.

"We're stuck in a loop."

"Like we haven't noticed," Ulquiorra said disdainfully.

"I want to kill you. Not pretend I kill you, wanker!"

Ulquiorra sighed a drop of sweat on his brow.

"Maybe you will tell me what I'm doing here?"

Ulquiorra continued to look around. He studied Grimmjow suspiciously and staggered groggily to a chair.

"Well…" Grimmjow said.

"You're dying."

"Thanks, Noodle, but I think I would know if I was dying." He said, sitting on a chair astride.

Ulquiorra spun suddenly before vomiting black mucus on the ethereal floor. Grimmjow just had time to scrape his chair on the floor further away.

"Oh! Fuck me! You don't feel well?"

Ulquiorra stared at the floor again. It was an immaculate white. Interesting.

"Something is wrong with me and you."

Ulquiorra said with a monotonous voice.

"You were stabbed and poisoned?"

"How do you know that?"

"I was here alone. I was wounded."

"Oh!"

"But then you are here now… It means you are wounded too."

"I don't remember…"

"I am the one supposed to always remember…"

He was interrupted by a feral groan in the distance. It's like a horde of predators were waiting outside. Grimmjow turned toward the noise, annoyed.

"What was that?"

"The primitive beasts are fighting…"

"What?"

"The manifestations of Pantera and Murcielago enraged because they want to be unleashed. It seems they are naturally against the bond."

Ulquiorra played with his collar. Grimmjow sat there, dumbfounded. That could be an explanation! It was good to know their hatred transcended planes of existence.

"Well, you seem to know where we are, at least. I don't know what this is… I want to get out."

"I just told you. Intercambio Cognitiva. We are sharing the Bond. I am the first Link. It seemed I took over for that person. "

"The first link? Can you be any more cryptic and annoying?"

"The Sire. The Lead. The Primo Lorde."

"Forget what I just said? I don't want to know. I wanna barf."

"I should be the one asking you. You were just an adjuchas before and not a good one. You mated with the Shrimp?"

"The shrimp."

"The one who shrank sizes. She was just… Promising at one point in time. But Nnointra broke her. Miserable with ostentatiously mediocre fraccions? How degenerated can you be?" Ulquiorra said, his head tilted to the side.

In one leap, Grimmjow grabbed him by the collar, lifting him at once.

"What did you say I did? I did it to save her! She got her powers back, but they were unstable. So I did what I have to do to ensure her future. I saved her."

Ulquiorra tilted his gaze at a weird, unnatural angle.

"A selfless act. I see."

Grimmjow frowned. No. It was pretty selfish. He absolutely loves the feel of her leaning over him when she was her old self. There was nothing selfless about it. It was selfish. It was insane how selfish he was.

" I see. You have feelings for her?" Ulquiorra said matter-of-factly, locking eyes with Grimmjow.

"I'm going to punch you!" Grimmjow growled, doing the exact opposite.

"You are infatuated with her?"

"Says the guy following a human-like a dog."

Ulquiorra sat down again, staring in the distance with indifference. He really didn't care either way. That was their problem. As for Orihime, this was a matter better left undiscussed.

"I don't care. It's not really important anyway. This has nothing to do with the bond."

"How convenient! See, I don't care about your bond! I care about getting out of here since I don't want to share anything with you, believe me. I don't even know why I am here. Why you of all people have to be the lead?"

"Survival mode. Cámara de dolor. The chamber of Sorrow. It means we were so mortally wounded we needed to come back here to heal. We use the bond as a way to maintain the integrity of our souls and relieve the stress in our bodies. That's the way of the Vasto Lorde. We can train here but not annihilate each other. This is an asylum of sorts. It seemed mating with a powerful one, even a damaged one, did the trick for you. You share blood in your Hueco Centro. You share strength. Your mind are connected in ways nobody can imagine."

" A Vasto Lorde?"

"What I always was… What you are now… despite you… not shedding…"

"Shedding?"

" The mask… It has to go. It's unbecoming of our rank."

"You…"

"It takes longer for people like you."

"I don't understand anything you're saying. A Vasto Lorde… Me…I wanted to…Believe me, I tried. I Killed a couple of motherfucker for that crown. I never could achieve it."

" Like we pointed out, Your act was selfless, devoid of confusion, and possible regrets. It's rare but not unheard of. A selfless act of love or sacrifice… Murder, Cannibalism, Breeding or Mating, can engender a Vasto Lorde. Granted, it's not a state easily achieved, and our ranks depleted greatly over the years. I can see you still have a lot to learn, and this will not come easy to you. Yet, I am bound to help you get there before I passed."

Grimmjow blushed for some unknown reasons. That sounded enticing an idea to have Ulquiorra trained him.

"Shedding is the vivid testament of the change of your heart."

"My heart… You…" It sounded deliciously sensual. Grimmjow frowned. That was so not the point.

"Why are you talking like that?" He said.

Ulquiorra blinked, like coming out of a reverie.

"This is the way I always talk."

"Nope, you're like proper and… all-wise. All quiet-like. What's wrong with you?" Grimmjow said.

"You're an idiot, and you're trash."

"That's more like you, fucker! Fuck you! Fuck this bullshit! I'm out of here!"

Grimmjow spun around frantically. The room had no doors. He dropped a bead of sweat.

"The fuck! Why are you so nice?"

"You share the bond. I am the first. I should show by example."

"The first what? Again? What's that nonsense? You're starting to piss me off again. I'm telling you."

Grimmjow frowned before nodding slowly.

"Fuck me!"

"Your transformation is uncomplete, Grimmjow. You and Nel are not ready. I am starting to think our weaknesses may have something to do with Aizen experimenting on us. Since my father was strong enough to call everybody at all times."

"Your father."

"Yes, he left me in charge when he passed. I don't know where to start? What to do? We don't exactly have a king anymore. We don't have a kingdom to protect."

"Whatever you say, I'm not helping Aizen."

"I'm not helping Aizen, either. Now that he remembered what he did."

Grimmjow was not listening. He turned to Ulquiorra once more.

"What happened if I die? What happened if this doesn't work?"

"You know what happened."

"I didn't do it so she can die, dickhead! I don't want her to die! That was the whole point!"

"Paz died slain by a shinigami with long ebony hair."

"Which one?"

"I don't know."

"Despite not being defeated by the leader of the mutiny, scarring the man on his forehead with his claws, Mammongi had to follow her. They left me behind." Ulquiorra said with an unusual sorrowful voice.

Grimmjow paused.

"They killed our King. They killed Paz Schiffer. They killed Mammongi. They killed our soldiers and destroyed our army. They killed the Quincies."

"Your mother's name was Paz?" Grimmjow asked.

Ulquiorra smirked, almost proud.

"She was also known as the Collector."

"Fuck, the Collector! The real 'Collector.' She was in charge of leading the "cattle" to Jigokucho. At the time where Jigokucho was our giant pantry. This is the kind of story; old hollows tell the youth to make them green with envy. You're talking about a legendary time when the food was plentiful in Hueco Mundo."

"Yes, I was young. Naïve. I didn't see the war coming. There was the Council of Vasto Lorde… The King… His children…"

"Hueco Mundo was like the capital of the Spirit World. The Glorious City of the Dead. What happened ?"

Ulquiorra frowned.

"I don't remember it all. I remembered only wandering in the desert."

"Who were the shinigamis?"

"I don't know."

"What happened to the King? Is he really dead?"

"I don't know."

"Where are the King's children?"

"I don't know."

"What happened to us when they killed the King?"

"I don't know."

"Is there even something you know for sure?"

"You're an ape. I don't know why Odelschwanck accepted you as her mate. She could have chosen anyone, but she chose you? She seemed like a wise creature. She was wise to reject Nnointra's vulgar advances. What's gotten into her?"

"I was the one who proposed, you asshole!"

"You intimidated her?"

"No."

"You intimidated her fraccions?"

"No!"

"She doesn't remember you intimidated her or her fraccions? "

"You're pushing it?"

"I don't get it."

"Of course, you wouldn't, you're stalking a human. Let's talk about that."

"You're stalking the boyfriend of that human. What makes you mighty?" Ulquiorra groaned, annoyed.

"Professional curiosity only. I'm doing my job being evil."

 _"_ Our job was not to be evil! Evil is a meager weak concept. We are above it. We helped pushed the Wheel of this Reality. We made this world possible. Grow up!"

"Yo, even in my dreams, you're an asshole, Ulquiorra."

Ulquiorra smirked.

"There it is. What's with the smirk?"

He shrugged.

"And the shrug? It's a nightmare. I'm never gonna wake up. This is hell, right? I'm dead. This is how I pay my due to Society. This whole bond thing is just a big bag of bullshit."

"I don't like to repeat myself."

"How long are we supposed to stay here? Is time passing by at the same rates outside? Oh! Right? Is it possible to kill each other here? Is it possible to die of boredom?"

Ulquiorra crossed his legs impatiently, shifting position on his chair so he can face the wall.

"You're not going to answer any more questions?"

The brunet remained silent.

"Really? That's it?! Fuck you, Ulquiorra!"

It's the last thing he remembered of that strange, surreal conversation he had with Ulquiorra before he got torn from that place. Air feeling his lungs with the sensation of drowning. Grimmjow exhaled at last and coughed. He inhaled again, his chest burning. His mind was still drifting between space and time. He could see Nel in the lab with Tres. He could see Ulquiorra… fall in a giant backyard in the living world. That was odd. They had been talking just a minute ago. He heard Tia's laughter from before the collapse. The collapse. He knew about the Collapse. How did he… Well, he just had that weird conversation with Ulquiorra. How could he still be here but not... here. He wished it made sense. What was he doing here? In the throne room, they got caught and surprised by that Koshinko asshole.

Grimmjow vaguely felt fingers massaging his chest in a circle. He was dead, and this felt like Heaven. So warm. So safe. Her hair fell on his nose, its soft caress, tingling his Hierro. Yet, he couldn't move a muscle.

"Come back, please, Grimmy! Open your eyes!"

He was there. He was here.

"Give me some room. He is stuck in the Camara de dolor, drifting. It's the poison."

"What do we do?"

"We guide him back."

Cold, wet fingers massaged his temples firmly. Without opening his eyes, he had a clear vision of Tia Harribel standing inches from him. At last, he heard what she was saying.

"This way."

Grimmjow pivoted. She disappeared again. He hesitated.

_"If I die, you die."_

Nel? He turned quizzically. Tia? Ulquiorra? Anybody out there?

Tia reappeared before him, and he jumped, startled.

"I cannot maintain myself here… It's too difficult. Come this way. Come back, Grimmjow."

Nel's tongue tickled his, and he felt every cell in his body regenerate at this simple touch. He could recognize the fresh glue she called her saliva, eyes closed. Except it was replaced with something thicker with a more pungent metallic taste. He squeezed his eyelids open to no avail. The liquid traveled directly to... his missing soul. He felt complete. Satiated for the first time in his life. He latched on it, suckling like a baby. He stretched out his arms, suddenly grabbing a handful of turquoise hair blindly. He opened his eyes suddenly, realizing he was biting on her wrist. He was drinking her blood. He groaned. He couldn't stop. He wanted more. Black tears streamed down her cheeks. Her Hierro ethereal white, her mask was eroding. She silently nodded her consent. He reveled in the vision she represented, leaning over him. It tasted so perfect like a missing part of him. Tia pushed Nel away.

"Do not drain her, brother."

She held out her own wrist. After a tiny hesitation, he tore into a wrist savagely.

"We will need our strength. There is much work to do." She said.

Nel stared at him with teary eyes.

He finally let go of Tia to catch Nel's lips. She allowed their kiss to deepen, and he was holding against him with all he had, only breaking away to stroke Tia's shoulder. Nel straightened up then wiped her tears with the back of her hand. He opened his eyes at last... Tres. The old Tres. The current Tres. Were they all in Hell? Was this Heaven?

He scanned his surroundings.

"I reckon you were not alone in the Camara de dolor…"

"Ulquiorra… I saw Ulquiorra…" He was breathless, still licking Nel's neck in between explanations.

Tia was staring at the couple with an air of indifference. She was didn't seemed to be troubled by their newfound level of intimacy or embarrassment by this open display of affection. She was simply observing.

He, Grimmjow Jaggerjacques, was alive. A chill ran down his neck. Damn, he was literally frozen. Nel straightened to accept the blankets that Harribel was handing. She put them on Grimmjow's shoulders. He traced the tears on her cheeks with the tip of her index finger.

"Gnat?"

"I was so scared. I was so… sad. It felt like something was tearing in me."

She wiped her tears again. She couldn't stop. Until then, Grimmjow never suspected that an Espada could cry this much. Hearing some movements behind him, he turned. Tōshirō Hitsugaya lay on the ground, face down, trapped in an ice sarcophagus that he must have erected himself. The whole room was trapped in ice.

He hadn't felt the bastard's presence. Grimmjow didn't even have time to savor his surprise; the ground hid under his feet. In a blink, he crashed into the doors of the banquet hall with phenomenal violence. As he glided down to the floor, he saw a dagger blade sticking out of Hitsugaya's chest. The young captain dropped a curse. He closed his eyes for a second and opened them just as Hitsugaya collapsed face down. Grimmjow tried to sit up, realizing that he didn't really have the strength. The walls rippled around him. He crawled painfully on the ground, almost blindly. The blade that had left Hitsugaya's chest gently caressed his carotid artery. He was getting his ass kicked by a second-rated shinigami swine. He really wanted to punch someone.

Koshinko stood over him, quite satisfied with himself.

"I really deserved to be made, Captain!"

Grimmjow tried to get up in vain. An opaque film veiled his pupils. He did not even feel the ground gradually crystallize under his fingers. He continued to make desperate efforts to get up. He needed to get up, call Nel… No, not call Nell.

" I present to you my zanpakutō, Cain. His Shikai has the power to paralyze and kill any enemy in 3 hours."

Paralyzed, had he said? A bunch of BS, he was fine. He was going to choke that guy to death three times, at least before he really eat him. With a grunt, though, Grimmjow stopped fighting and started to convulse on the ground, the foam covering his purple lips.

In the distance, he vaguely heard "Cockroach" and "Ant" rush into battle. But while he was seized by the Hyourinmaru's Shikai, the world faded like a mirage before his eyes. It was as if a leaden rod had fallen on him. The ice trapped his chest. He stopped breathing—Survival mode. _We're in Survival mode._

Back to the present, he realized something was missing.

"Cockroach ... Ant ..."

Nel burst into tears, shaking her head. She wouldn't stop crying.

" Nel…"

She shook her head, frantically.

"They're… You mean…"

He remembered they were one step behind them, and they rushed into battle. But he told them to run. He told them to run.

"They are… You mean, that's it for them?"

Tia nodded.

She did not mean they were dead trying to save his skin. Was she serious? These big idiots couldn't have done something so stupid? Why would they do this to Nel? Didn't they know they wouldn't stand a chance? Why?

Nel answered his unspoken question, her voice shivering.

"I ordered them too. They did it because I ordered them too." She said in a breath.

Nel buried her face between her legs, which she had brought against her chest. Grimmjow watched her without finding anything to say. She was kidding, right? She didn't do that? _If you die, I die._ He remembered that stupid oath he made her do. He remembered just a couple of years ago; it didn't seem like such a big deal. He couldn't even imagine what the loss of her fractions meant to her. When he lost his own, he just felt as alone as before. It had been a return to square one. But nothing had really changed for him. The desire to fight had remained ... His anger had remained ... What was left of Nel?

With a stroke of her sword, Tia split Hitsugaya's sarcophagus in half. Slowly she turned him over and massaged his ki points. Little by little, like Grimmjow before him, Hitsugaya started breathing again.

" With his remaining resources, Hitsugaya Tōshirō launched a final counterattack. As the ice slows the circulation of life fluids, blood, and reishi, the effects of Koshinko Geren's poison could be greatly reduced. Without it, it is clear that the poison of this shinigami would have taken you both." Tia commented coldly.

Nel kept her head down, sprawled on the floor. Tia coldly continued to explain the situation.

"However, we arrived too late for Dondochakka Bilstin and Pesche Guatiche. Tia finished. We couldn't stop the enemy either. It seems there was a hostage. We do not know what happened to her. But the machine ... The machine ... by Szayel Apporro Granz ...

Grimmjow was no longer listening. The blood wasn't always rushing in the direction of his brain. He didn't take his eyes off Nel. She suddenly looked up. What was left of Nel? Grimmjow crawled slowly toward. What was left of her? It was in the reflection of her eyes. It was him he was seeing. He was the only thing she got left. He almost died on her. For the first time in his existence as an Espada ... No, for the first time in his existence as a Hollow, he regretted "being alive" if only because he knew that it was indirectly the cause of her tears. She was perfectly stupidly happy before she met him, running around this castle, playing games of tag. He was the one who brought her into this mess.

Yes. All his years of serving Aizen, serving his own cause, fighting for an ideal he didn't even believe in, fighting to be the last, the first, the strongest, the king ... To fight for silence... To subdue the rage ... She brought him peace. How did he reward her?

Grimmjow Jaeggerjacques had never regretted once having inflicted pain and suffering on others.

Never.

Except he was contemplating his reflection in her eyes… Her eyes were slowly shifting from utter stupor to anger and vengeance. He stroke her cheek softly. He needed to make this right. He will make this right. It was a powerful sound that startled them both the sound of his mask shattering on the ground. Grimmjow was suddenly overwhelmed with feelings; he let go of his zanpakutō, which he hadn't even realized he kept in his hand this whole time. The zanpakutō, which had always been until then his one and only companion.

He placed Pantera on the ground and held Nel close to his Hueco Centro instead.

By [batemeuma](https://www.deviantart.com/batemeuma)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] A demonic kido technique of the highest level, which allows the user to outsource and extract reishi from his immediate environnement.
> 
> \-------------  
> Next chapter: Not a pacifist Retreat


	52. Not a Pacifist Retreat

**-53-**

**Not a Pacifist Retreat**

* * *

**Ukitake Jūshirō**

Captain of the 13th division

Best friend of Kyouraku Shunsui

He once told Kisuke Urahara, "All of us have the same pride in our hearts. The pride of shouldering the weight of the Gotei 13." Even on days when he felt on the verge of dropping the ball, for any reason, he straightens up and carries on because such was the price to pay for those who choose this life.

* * *

The cloudy sky was dark with sepia undertones. Ukitake woke up under the ruins of a collapsed wall. He coughed and sneezed. How embarrassing! He remembered he was fighting, pushing back a giant tentacular hollow when a violent cough took him by surprise. The rest was unoriginal as heck. He wiped the blood on his mouth as he dusted his haori with the other hands. He surveyed his surroundings warily. Fortunately, he probably managed to kill the hollow before the wall fell on him. As far as good news went, that was it.

A shudder. The earth was shaking every time Ichinose's bankai and that monster moved. The creatures were charging each other with a renewed ferocity, their grunts, and moans filling the atmosphere. He stood back up again, shifting legs. Ukitake could not help staring at the fight with a morbid fascination. He had never seen such a manifestation of a bankai—the scale of this thing. Not only were those beasts currently destroying the Seireitei, but their fight was also now even spilling in the newly evacuated East Rukon-district. He noticed a piece of Byakuya's blue scarf shred and torn away, floating in the wind. He followed its flight absentmindedly.

An object crossed the sky like a fallen meteorite and slammed the ground at an honorable distance behind Jūshirō. Madarame Ikkaku. Looking equally like crap, like something spluttered out the wrong way after a game of pachinko turned wrong, Yumichika Ayasegawa was hovering over him in panic. Before Jūshirō could get to them, Yumichika lifted his companion over his shoulders and disappeared, presumably to go seek help. Soon, more "meteorites" crashed. It was raining officers on the Seireitei. Soldiers were lying unconscious on his path as he made his way through the carnage. Everywhere he looked, it was just despair and agony, his ears filled with screams.

_"No one died. "_

_"Yet…No one died yet."_

He remembered Unohana's comforting words. Ukitake froze and turned again toward the Titans fight. He swallowed hard as he watched Rigor sliced Persephone's left flank from his neck to his leg. His blood froze in his veins as a geyser of black liquid sprayed the place, staining his cheek and his collar from where he stood. He closed his eyes in silent concentration. Dust and rocks were floating enticed by a sudden shift in the gravity.

By  [ chickenmeister ](https://www.deviantart.com/chickenmeister)

**2WEI feat. Edda Hayes - Warriors (Official Imagine Dragons cover from League of Legends trailer)**

His hair floating behind him, Jūshirō watched an innocent girl being slain ruthlessly right before his eyes. Yet, it just felt oddly like the usual Monday morning at work. Rigor opened his trap and prepared to unleash his poison one more time. Jūshirō pursed his lips. His usually amiable features were gone, so was his earlier cheery mood. He sobered up quickly. His eyes became hollow. He let go of all restraints. It was time to get serious. A tornado of spiritual pressure rooting from his feet pushed further and further.

_"You are too hard on yourself as usual."_

_"I am tired. I am really tired of this life, Retsu."_

_"Some days…"_

_"Are you always going to finish my sentence?"_

_His doubts silently sealed away by her greedy kisses._

Double uppercut and Persephone slammed a range of columns. Jūshirō's spiritual pressure swept the place away. All of this must have a meaning. If not, it meant his sacrifices didn't mean anything. He heard noises behind him as Archer Scaryscrow landed on the ground, positively ecstatic and relieved he managed to own that bald officer.

Archer tried to catch his breath. The ground was shaking, but he didn't really pay attention to it. Thunder was rolling dangerously outside the crackling dome. Archer shrugged it off. His surroundings were slowly concealed by a curtain of dust. Yet, he was trying hard to open a Garganta back to the Hueco Mundo. This had become too much of a mess for him to deal with. Screw all of them! He wasn't going to die here! Only when he sensed something moving behind him, Archer froze.

Jūshirō and Archer curiously turned to face each other at the same time. Jūshirō slowly unsheathed his swords and separated them. He wasn't even trying to be discreet and stealthy about it. The Primeros jumped away. Archer frowned.

"You're… a captain."

Jūshirō tilted his head. He nodded, seemingly apologetically.

"Man, I don't wanna fight you. I'm just… I'm just passing by."

Jūshirō smiled brightly. Sure, he was.

"Is that something you told Madarame?"

Archer shrugged, caught in a lie. He blinked.

"I tried to tell him I had absolutely no bones to pick here, but he insisted we fight and said something about being unable to use his zanpakutō to its full ability because there were too many witnesses. That was a bunch of nonsense. I don't wanna be here."

"Well, we certainly didn't invite you."

Archer frowned.

"Come on, man, you know how it is. I did what I was told to do. We studied all of you guys. In Aizen's files, you're the one with the big heart, Ukitake Jūshirō, Captain of the 13th division. Look, I'm not a bad guy. I… I just got caught in a bad situation. You understand that. Come on, as soon as I find my way home, you will never hear about me again."

Another terrible grumble as Persephone was crushed against the Outerwall, and the glass dome shattered at once. Jūshirō remained indifferent to all the chaos surrounding him. He knew a little girl who likes cooking for her friends was being slain on that battlefield.

"I see… That's quite a reputation I was given. I'm flattered. Still, I cannot let you go, I'm really sorry."

"I don't wanna fight… "Archer said.

Archer blinked twice. Jūshirō was no longer in front of him. He hadn't finished his sentence that the Shinigami disappeared from his field of vision. Archer turned slowly to realize the captain sidestepped him. He was standing behind him, wiping his blades in the air to clean the blood off them. Archer frowned as he watched Ukitake sheathed his zanpakutō back. The pain hadn't registered yet. He was still gawking, waiting for Jūshirō's response.

"Well, let's not fight then," Jūshirō said with a shrug and a gentle smile.

Archer staggered, leaving droplets of blood on the ground. When? He was standing there one second and the next… The moment he realized what had happened, his eyes widened.

"Do you want me to stay?" Jūshirō asked, concerned.

Archer nodded very slowly, his eyes glazing over, his mouth agape. He looked at Jūshirō again, pain clouding his features all of a sudden. He didn't want to die alone. Was he going to die? Really?

"It won't be long. Don't worry."

By  [ Miyuki-Tsukiyono ](https://www.deviantart.com/miyuki-tsukiyono)

On cue, Archer's body split in two, spraying blood and guts everywhere. Jūshirō watched the Primeros disintegrate before his eyes.

"You're right. I am probably the most tender-hearted guy you will ever meet."

He faded and joined Shunsui with Shunpo just in time to lend him a hand against Menoly and Lolly.

"Or the unluckiest..." He finished as he leaned against Shunsui's back heavily. They were back to back defending their positions.

"Hey, Ju-chan. Still busy slacking off?" Shunsui said as he dodged Lolly's Cero attack.

"Can you take care of them alone? I don't like fighting women." Jūshirō said.

"Nope can do. Get an application. Join the club. But for today, we're doing this, Jū-chan!"

Jūshirō grimaced.

"I'm not having a good day at all, Shunsui. I think I got a hangover. Ichinose's bankai is declining quickly. I'm not sure she will be holding on much longer. Byakuya is M.I.A. Madarame… Sasakibe… Komamura are all severely wounded as far as I could tell. It's not a good day at all. Down there, there's a lot of casualties."

"Yup and these two beauties just brought back the Key to open a royal dimension. Let me just say, it's not going to get better. You still want to be merciful and romantic?"

Jū-chan pursed his lips in utter annoyance, his eyes blank. Just once, he'd like the universe to cut him a break as he was nursing a headache.

"Girls were naughty. A spanking never hurt anyone. You're good at that! I'm the Funny uncle!"

"You're not the Funny uncle."

"I am. I am the one they usually confide in when they got their first heartbreak." Jūshirō said wittily.

Menoly and Lolly were sending Cero blast after Cero blast at the two captains.

" **Bakudō** **#73. Tozanshō."** Shunsui said with authority, suddenly tired of dodging. He wasn't getting any younger.

As the spell ignited at a single point, blue energy extended upward to four points and formed an inverted pyramid quickly solidified into a barrier around both Shunsui and Jūshirō. The girls could continue to shoot all the ceros they like, these two would be out of reach. For a little while. At least.

"Shunsui…"

Shunsui turned, suddenly serious.

"They really did a number on Karakura… Didn't you get the hell butterfly?"

"I was busy being knocked unconscious on my own. You're serious?"

"How else would they get an interdimensional Key?!"

"What a pain! I just killed one of them!"

"That's my boy! Keep at it with this spirit! We may come out of this alive!"

"What a comforting thought! I'm tired, Shunsui. Help."

"I love it when you're cranky. You're so cute. I want to kiss you."

Jūshirō became red.

"I hate you."

"You're blushing. I love you too."

"Shunsui, What's the strategy here?"

"Point. Kill. Do it Again."

"If Geren managed to actually open the door…"

"Point. Kill. We're not there yet."

"Those girls are annoying, and they looked barely of age. What are we doing?"

"Like that ever stopped you before…"

"It always did. Stop me, I mean. You're the perv. Not me."

"I forgot you like older women. We all have our fetish." Shunsui said candidly.

"You're still peeved about Yachiru-chan, aren't you?"

"I didn't get to enjoy my night like you and Byakuya, and every fucking guy out there…"

"I'm going to tell Nanao you said that."

"You're too chicken for that."

"What say Byakuya did anyway?"

"Remember that time we all got stuck in a blizzard with Yoruichi and Unohana… Well, Senpai and Kouhai were gone for an awfully long time searching for woods, and the forest still stood intact long after they're gone. I'm just saying it looked suspicious to me. You know how the Kuchikis are known to have a weakness for Shihouin girls."

"You really wanna discuss right now that blizzard where you guys were stranded for three days? I wasn't there. It was just the four of you. And you sure all seemed afterward like the cold didn't get to you. Especially you."

Shunsui grinned. Good memories, indeed.

"Really, you weren't there? Yes, it didn't. We had such a blast." He said wistfully.

Ju-chan snickered.

"I did remember there was a time where he couldn't look in Yoruichi's eyes. That was awesome. That was hilarious!"

"I hope he lives today so we can ask him tomorrow."

"Oh! The joys of being old men, I almost forgot. Shame on me!" Jūshirō burst out laughing.

"I'm telling you this is what I live for. Having wild parties and shaming people over the consequences of these parties years later…"

"Shunsui… you're evil."

"Come on, help a friend, take care of these two for me, will you?! I will go help Soi Fon take that guy down before he does something else, we are all going to regret later." Shunsui said, scratching his back like an old man.

Jūshirō nodded at last.

"I already regret a lot of things. Like waking up this morning. What's one more gotta do?"

"I bet you do, old man. I bet you do. That fifth bottle was definitely worth it, though." Shunsui grinned before he dove in the direction of the Senzaikyū.

"Well, yeah… It was."

Jūshirō shrugged as he shifted in a defensive stance, getting ready to face the Arrancar menace.

"Girls, how about we have a chat you and me? Let's call truce…"

Their answers were a volley of red Cero. Jūshirō grimaced. Another day at work.

* * *

**Byakuya Kuchiki**

Definitely widowed

Sixth Division Captain

Brother of Kuchiki Rukia

Senbonzakura was linked to him by much more than a master-servant contract. But really, he was convinced that a Zanpakutō, like any living being, must know its place in the world.

* * *

Shane was counting in his head each compression while Momo was breathing in Kuchiki-sama's mouth. He was giving it his fucking all. He thought he may have even cracked a rib earlier. But in vain, Byakuya's complexion remained strangely violet. He wasn't breathing. He wasn't healing. He wasn't doing anything he was supposed to do, and Shane was getting desperate. He was already imagining having to tell Rukia. Or the ultimate nightmare, having to tell his grandfather Ginrei that his favorite golden grandchild, his treasure died. This would suck.

"Maybe we can't help. Maybe he will feel better on his own." Momo said, unsure.

Honestly, Shane wasn't listening. He would fucking give his own heart right now for Byakuya not to die on his watch. He'd give anything. He doubled down on the compression. Come on, Byakuya! Breathe! He was about to abandon in defeat when…

Byakuya woke up with a start. Gasping for air, he clung to the first thing he found. Shane's collar. Being face to face with his vice-captain only increased his anger tenfold. What was he doing there instead of killing this damn creature? He pushed Shane away with a groan. He pushed them all and stood on wobbly legs. He stared haggardly at two Momo Hinamori. Why were they staring at him like they'd just seen a ghost?! Didn't they have work to do? Byakuya grunted, feeling sick like a dog.

"Kuchiki-Taicho?"

"Kisama! Kss ... Kisama ... Kuso ...Che…"

Shane and Hinamori both remained petrified by the tide of profanity coming out of Byakuya's mouth. Then he fell silent again, staring at the ground, breathing hard. Eyes round, both lieutenants gaped at the captain of the sixth division almost comically.

"Kuchiki-Taicho…"

"Byakuya…"

Byakuya turned to Shane with a glare. Shane nodded. He got the message. Well, that guy was back. No one could call Lord Kuchiki by his name. 100% received.

Tilting his head, cracking his neck, the captain paced to calm down. His fist tightened on Senbonzakura. He took a deep breath. Byakuya assessed his internal injuries at 55-65% of his vital organs. His Shihakusho remained glued to his chest, drawing darker areolas near his stomach. Kuso ... He felt sweaty and just plain filthy in his clothes. He concentrated on gathering his ki to the point it brought to the surface the midnight blue glue he had at the back of his throat. He leaned forward and regurgitated a flask of mucus on the ground. He retched unceremoniously for a couple of strange minutes.

The legendary Captain Kuchiki could swear. Momo was quite taken aback by what she saw. The legendary Captain Kuchiki could vomit.

Byakuya spat again just inches from Momo. She winced. That was disgusting. He just finished shattering her girly world like Aizen. Men were all crude and vulgar beasts. Soldiers were the worst. Shane was crossing his arms knowingly. There was no trace of his earlier outbursts and panic. He looked again, cool, and collected. As for Byakuya, he was standing tall in front of them as if his chest wasn't seeping blood. The Kuchiki Boys! Momo thought. What a strange family!

"Where are the men?"

"I ordered their withdrawals."

"Good."

"Kuchiki-Taicho?" Hinamori interrupted gently. He glared at the young woman before spitting out a bottom of bile, again not very elegantly. He raised an eyebrow peeved.

"Will you be okay?"

He snickered at that. Odd. Coming from him. Was he going to be okay? Did she really have to ask? Did he look like someone getting halfway on the road of being okay? There was no fucking way he was going to be okay! By just looking at the poor girl, Byakuya Kuchiki made sure to convey just that. Until he was actually getting there, no one should fucking ask him if he was going to be okay! Because he was not as of now! Okay, that is!

Persephone had dared to play with his memories. Of all the people present here ... of all the captains. Touching the memory of Hisana. Unforgivable. Use the influence of Rukia. Inexcusable. Pretending to be Keikosuki. Intolerable. This zanpakutō did not know his place in the universe at all. To believe that his master couldn't find it in her to lecture him about Zanpakutō etiquette when she could spend nights in her kitchen, making the best desserts out there. It was inconceivable a thought. That was just basic knowledge. Things people learned the first year of owning a zanpakutō. Byakuya furiously scanned the battlefield below. Kenpachi was fighting with Weavorpine. Ukitake faced a mid-range Primeros. The behemoth held Persephone by his neck. His blood turned cold at once. Fuck. Fuck, that beast was annoying. To lose. To lose above it all. To be losing ground against that Rigor Mortis. Fucking Ridiculous. Unspeakable. Abject.

Byakuya spat again, hands on his hips. His eyes staring at the epicenter of the disaster with pure contempt. Pure hatred.

"Taicho, what shall we do now?" Shane smirked.

The dome above them exploded like a crystal ball. Momo screamed.

"Where did the dome go?!" Momo muttered before she realized it only meant one thing. Ichinose's bankai was declining.

The ghosts disappeared at once.

"Taicho? Taicho? Get up now! Ichinose-Taicho! Please!"

A few hundred yards to their left, Persephone was still fighting a lost, desperate battle against Rigor. Attacked by the Primeros's ashes, the reptile uttered a loud groan of pain before planting its fangs in Rigor Mortis tearing off part of its neck. However, the other monster regenerated immediately, and the bite mark immediately disappeared. With a mean left hook, Rigor broke free from the lizard's grip. The monitor lizard whined on the ground, waving its three tails in the air. The scorpion's tail wrapped Rigor's ankle between its pliers. Rigor staggered, forced to put on one knee on the ground. With force, he tore off the tail with one hand. Persephone stirred on the ground, grunting and moaning in pain. The earth rumbled. With his mouth ajar, the Primeros prepared to release a new cloud of deadly ash over his enemy.

**Clash of the Titans - Immediate music**

Hands covering her mouth in horror, Momo watched helplessly as her captain was defeated.

By  [ NanFe ](https://www.deviantart.com/nanfe)

Byakuya disappeared to materialize just between the two colossi. **Bankai.** **Senbozakura Kageyoshi.** He summoned, unleashing all he had. A huge pink sphere twirling in the air, Senbonzakura formed a temporary barrier against the unleashed poisonous dust.

"Captain Kuchiki!" Shane yelled while holding Momo by the arm.

Byakuya winced in pain. Wrinkles accumulated on his face. Unable to think coherently, he tried to keep his bankai in place. He felt his reishi, the essence of what linked him to this earth, suck in the ash cloud. His soul was literally splitting apart ... and disintegrating ... The interference caused by the ash particles was as painful as a thousand needles tickling his nerve endings. His eyes shone bright and translucent as he displayed resources and skills; he did not even know he had. Senbonzakura's petals soared toward the sky, rising like a tide.

Keikosuki...

Forget the pain. He gradually stood taller, fighting the crush of gravity. Remembering blindly how she fed him earlier, just a teaspoon of her reiatsu, and it satiated him for life. Keikosuki. Forget everything that was not Keikosuki. Forget everything that was not about her smile. About the fact, she didn't belong there. Two unidentified objects crossed the sky at high speed. Byakuya felt his soul dissociating with his spirit envelope. Hold. Hold. Empty yourself of the pain. Empty yourself of everything. He wobbled forward to better secure his position. Fighting the need to close his eyes and yield, he rose his hand slowly and tentatively. He would not fall. He couldn't. Pupils rolled back, hand trembling, Byakuya concentrated all his energy in his fist. Struggling against the flow of energy, he steadily raised his hand toward the sky, ordering Senbonzakura to raise his head one last time. Even if he already fell for her, Kuchiki Byakuya could not fall before her. If his hand was trembling, his will remained flawless. The petals formed an almost solid pinkish wall matching the grotesque size of the bankai of Keikosuki Ichinose, climbing to impossible heights. In a tornado of opposite winds, Senbonzakura rose to the level of the Seireitei turrets, raising the rocks and rubble in its path, destroying whatever was on its path. His feet anchored in the ground, Byakuya did not even have the strength or the presence of mind to withdraw before the two missiles exploded simultaneously on Rigor Mortis propelling him through the Senkaimon. Everything turned white. The power of the explosion was such that it seemed to shake the universe itself. Senbonzakura danced proudly around his master, protecting him and Persephone even from the aftershock, before disappearing one petal after another. Byakuya's face slowly returned to normal. He staggered out of breath. His face was sweaty beyond belief. Darkness covered the Dangai for a few seconds. Then the smoke cleared, giving way to the ethereal glow of the interdimensional window.

Perched on the ramparts, about a dozen kilometers away from Momo and Shane, Kukkaku, the fireworks engineer, Yoruichi, the goddess of Shunpo, and Urahara Kisuke, the Genius burst out laughing.

"This is what I call a cool firework! That was absolutely awesome!" Kukkaku exclaimed, cackling happily. "I had my doubts concerning this half-assed plan! But you did prove me wrong! Like promised, all drinks are on me!"

Urahara arranged his hat on his face smugly. That was amazing teamwork. Byakuya was definitely the MVP here. Oh, and of course Ichinose Keikosuki! Respect! Them. They just happened to be nearby. He was holding in his hands the latest version of his Spirit cannon 8530 with trajectory modulator, long-range aim, and the most important emollient separator of reishi particles. While Yoruichi pointed another spirit particle cannon, also of the latest generation, the Spirit Sesshû 5000, a negationist canon. Urahara had been slow to understand what Rigor Mortis was made of. There was nothing magical about his ability to raise the dead. After analysis and several experiments, he had been able to understand that the Primeros was capable of extreme regeneration, it could accelerate, or slow down, the particles of Reishi in any host. One of the indirect symptoms had been the aging of the mollified spiritual envelope and the mummification of the subject. In other words, he had the power to assemble and disassemble the essential molecules of a soul in a process close to the powers of Orihime Inoue. Thus, by combining a negative charge of an energy bomb with a separating and emollient charge of reishi particles, they had been able to overcome the monster. And if at the end of this long explanation, people were still not convinced of the technological progress this was. It was enough to say to be short, his cannons made a splash!

Urahara sighed.

"Thank you. See, it was not such a bad idea to keep an Espada on hand. Thanks to the results of the exams on Ulquiorra, I could understand what this creature was made of. Sorry to be so late!"

"We are used to it," Yoruichi replied with a mischievous smile of her own. She crossed her arms over her chest with a smug grin.

A complaint arose between the ruins. The side of the monitor lizard was bleeding like a geyser. Persephone let out another groan trying to regain the use of his inferior legs.

"You saved us Kuchiki Byakuya."

Byakuya focused on the ground before him. He wanted to look at that thing's eyes. He really wanted to, but a drop of sweat slid down his forehead to get lost on the side of his neck. He dared not turn around. He dared not move right now… The slightest ... sudden gesture ... and ...

He stared at the gravel. Four small pools of blood lined the ruins under his feet. In a few seconds, they widened. He inhaled gently ... deeply. Everything hurts currently, even breathing.

With a seasoned wrist movement, he let his katana slide towards the ground again. He just had one last thing to do.

**Chire. Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.**

****

**BY[ Xieryth](https://www.deviantart.com/xieryth) **

He was not in a reasonable mood. He was in no philanthropic mood. He was furious. He was bubbling with rage. He had never been so angry in his entire life. The feeling was so raw and uneven. His white aura, marked with violence, made a vow of destruction.

Silence.

For a fraction of a second, Persephone's obsidian pupils reflected the horror of the situation, the terror.

"Learn to stay in your place, Zanpakutō." Byakuya slowly said, emphasizing each word.

Millions of petals of Senbonzakura cut into the giant's flesh in a single pass. There was nothing left of Persephone that did not fade like the illusion it was. Byakuya regained control of Senbonzakura and put it back in its sheath in the same spirit.

Lying in a fetal position on a block of stone, Suki Ichinose coughed before opening her eyes. A few seconds passed. Then she straightened up painfully, her look haggard. Byakuya sighed in relief. She looked around her. If her clothes were ragged and stained, the young woman appeared unharmed. He had done everything to balance his strength, however. He did not release his attention until he saw her chest rise regularly. She was breathing again regularly.

"Ichinose-Taicho?"

She turned slowly to him and stared at him as if she didn't recognize him. He frowned. Did she forget about him? She rubbed her eyes, seemingly trying to remove the traces of sleep. She bowed down before him.

"Subimasen! I did it again, it seems. Did I fall asleep?"

"You know where you are?"

Keikosuki slowly got back on her legs, dusting her torn kimono with a pout.

"I had the strangest dream. You were there, Kuchiki-sama."

She turned and faced Byakuya for the first time. She froze again.

"You're bloody? Why are you bloody? Where are we?"

She was picking up a torn piece of her kimono on the ground. On her left, she noticed a missing golden broach that was in her hair.

"Suki…"

Suki looked up, alarmed he would call her by her nickname. Peering suspiciously around, she backed up slowly. Everywhere she looked, there was nothing but ruins and a pile of rocks.

"What ... What happened?"

She slowly stepped toward him.

"You got hurt? Where did you get hurt? Who did this to you?"

She frowned, trying to piece back her memories together. She fell asleep… Why? What an odd time to fall asleep? She turned and turned. Weren't they having a meeting? What was that old man saying back in that meeting? Oh! That she will be… _You will be leading the assault, Ichinose-Taicho._

She blinked, her eyes widening at the realization. She inhaled sharply and let out a hoarse sob in front of the ruins of the battlefield. Her gaze froze at the horror. At a close distance, there were a hundred bodies still buried in the rubble where soldiers of the Gotei 13 had fallen under the combined assaults of the enemy and Persephone. Byakuya remained silent, swallowing hard. She put her hands in front of her mouth.

"Oh, no! Oh, no! No! Oh, please! Kuchiki-sama? Tell me. Did I sleep? Did I fall asleep?"

He said nothing.

"I did this. I did this. Did I really fall asleep?! Did I?"

He looked down to avoid having to face her. His day wasn't getting any better. He sighed, feeling exhausted beyond beliefs. He closed his eyes because this was… Keikosuki wandered through the battlefield aimlessly, holding her torn kimono in her clenched fist. She crouched in front of a deceased and watched his soul fade. She didn't have time to touch him. Was this real? She almost let out a piercing scream before she covered her mouth.

"Ah… Ah…I'm sorry! I fell asleep, and he was there trying to help Suki. Persephone."

She stared at her trembling, bloodied hands.

"I swallowed all of them… Not me… He did… I fell asleep. I'm so sorry… I did…I did this? Right? It was me? Again? I did this."

Byakuya tried to help her back to her feet. She could barely stand as it is, shivering like a leaf. She became agitated every time he tried to touch her. He couldn't find the right words. This was so difficult for him. She pulled back again.

"Did I do that to you?"

She brushed the front of Byakuya's Shihakusho.

"Suki…"

"Tell me. Did I hurt you? Did I?"

She sobbed.

"Suki… This was necessary."

"Don't you dare?! Don't you dare call me Suki! Don't you dare lie to my face! Not you!"

Byakuya swallowed hard and nodded. He was wrong to even think like that. He leaned toward her.

"Keikosuki, you did this."

She started to scream and sobbed harder.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I hurt you."

Before she steps back again, he grabbed her trembling wrist firmly. Her olive eyes widened as she remembered what happened. She really hurt him. She whispered between sobs as she remembered all those unforgivable things she did to him.

"He used your wife…"

"Keikosuki…"

"You should have killed me. Why didn't you kill me? He is inside me. He is the ugly side of Suki. I don't know what to do. He will do it again. To help Suki. People will get hurt. Suki will cry. Tell Daddy he should have killed, Suki. I'm no good. I will never be good."

These eyelashes wriggled furiously, trying to trap their sadness and failing. She wiped her tears quickly and let out another dreadful cry at the realization that her face was stained with blood.

"This must stop… I want it to stop. Please make it stop. Tell Daddy, I'm sorry. I won't do it again. He must let me go… I am not good enough. I am a monster. I can't help being hungry all the time. I can't help doing these things. Please make it stop, I beg you."

Byakuya said nothing. Persephone was Suki's zanpakutō. Yet, like Senbonzakura with him, he knew a zanpakutō tended to embrace the personality of his carrier. So, it's not like he didn't realize there were some ugly truths in what she said. She really couldn't help it. She really could do it again.

"You did good, Keikosuki."

"No. No. No." She shook her head frantically, taking several steps back.

Byakuya limped closer to her, leaving stains of blood on his path. He held her arm firmly as if he was afraid, she would disappear from his sight.

"Don't ever say that again…Never. Don't ever ask me to take your life again."

"But it's the only way…"

"Don't ever hurt me like that…"

Instinctively, his hands naturally found their way to her obi. He spread the sides of her kimono open and pulled the haori of the fifth division off her shoulders for one minute. It was far too big for her, anyway. He threw it on the ground. Terrorized and petrified as she was, she offered no resistance as he undressed her in the middle of the battlefield. Seeing a bloodstain on his collar, Suki sobbed only harder.

"I didn't mean to hurt Kuchiki-sama. I did not want..."

"You didn't!" He snapped. "You could never hurt me. You hear me? You can't hurt me like that except when you say you don't want to live."

She stared at him, unsure.

"You can't say you don't want to live."

She just looked at him, confused. He absentmindedly hugged her waist, and she almost jumped out of his embrace. With a grimace, he removed his own haori, spared considerably by the gore of the battlefield, only stained at the ends and draped her little body in white yukata inside. There, she looked better.

"I know Keikosuki is scared. I want her to know that there is no point in being afraid when I am by her side."

She looked up, shivering like a leaf.

"Kuchiki-sama?"

"You did good, Keiko. You really did exceptionally well tonight. "

"But, I betrayed your trust."

**"Can't Help Falling in Love" Cover [DARK VERSION] (feat. Brooke) / Produced by Tommee Profitt**

He pulled her gently towards him while untying the remains of the blue scarf around his neck with one hand. Slowly he touched her cheek to remove the traces of gore and soot. She nodded obediently, her mouth in heart shivering in the wind, her eyes veiled in tears. He froze with the rag at the corner of her lips. He cradled her for a few seconds in his arms before whispering in her ear.

"You woke up, Keikosuki. When I call you, you woke up? This is really all that matters to me."

Suki stared at him.

"Actually, that made me very happy, and I haven't been this happy for a long time."

His gaze softened as he hugged her a little harder.

"And when you feel up to it again… Will you cook for me?"

She didn't take her eyes off him, too surprised to be able to react. She just stared with wide eyes. His eyes… Kuchiki-sama's eyes were stormy grey.

**Bleach OST 3 #17 Soundscape to Ardor- Shiro Sagisu**

Byakuya hit the ground hard, immobilized under his own wife's foot. Hisana twirled Senbonzakura above her head with expert hands, a cruel smile on her face.

"So Kuchiki-sama doesn't want to die for me! The "me" he claimed to love! The Poor little slut he picked up on the street!"

He tried to regain the use of his legs, but with a single kick to the face, ruthlessly opening his brow bone, she sent him crawling back on the floor. He crawled pathetically to tear himself away from Hisana's fury.

"If he really loves me, Kuchiki-sama will die for me. If he loves me, he will die neatly. Make me happy, Kuchiki Byakuya!"

Persephone shouted sadistically, stabbing him over and over.

He kicked her away, and with a jump, he regained the use of his legs. He had to review his policy of non-violence towards women. Hisana recovered quickly and struck him again with Senbonzakura's guard. She twirled the saber on the sides before targeting his neck. He dodged in time. Senbonzakura embedded itself in an old oak tree. She laughed. He quickly realized that she was just having fun with him. He was just having fun with him. Dancing all around him, dodging his attacks and crossing his defense. No matter how he thought, Hisana would never doubt his love. On the head of these ancestors, that Hisana had never fought like this! No matter how much he said to himself, he remained troubled by the vision. This thing was starting to piss him off seriously. Senbonzakura crossed his chest mercilessly. He lost his balance and fell heavily on his back. If only his brain could stop taking this for reality. Failing to wake Keikosuki up, he had to wake himself up. This illusion could not have had that much of a hold on him.

"This is for all the times when Kuchiki-Sama forbade me to go find my sister in the Rukongai. I could have found sooner if he just let go!"

Had he really forbidden her? He blinked as Senbonzakura cut through his flesh again.

"This is for almost letting Rukia die, you, sanctimonious prick!"

He collapsed. Yes, he could not forget his guilt. He could still see a young red-haired boy dismissing him from his responsibilities. With a broad smile, Hisana lifted Senbonzakura up in the air before hitting again.

"That was for letting me die! I deserved better!"

A fresh spray of blood-colored his frail wife's neck. She swirled the sword between her hands. He waited for the new impact, which never happened.

"Persephone, what are you doing?"

Hisana froze, holding the sword above her head.

"Suki…"

Senbonzakura fell to the ground with a metallic noise. Byakuya looked up, the corner of his lips painted scarlet.

"Keikosuki ..."

Keikosuki was facing her own reflection, holding Senbonzakura. The weapon in Persephone's hands turned into a tessen.

"This is Impossible, you ... are ... Suki is …"

Suki crossed her arms against her chest and shook her head, angrily.

"Persephone does not know its limits."

"Suki-Chan, it's me ..."

Eyes veiled in tears, she looked up at her zanpakutō.

"I did this for Suki-chan. Suki-chan is getting stronger. I protect Suki-chan, who is too easily distracted by ..."

"Kuchiki-sama is the limit." Keikosuki said.

Persephone's eyes widened in surprise. This was not happening. She was not choosing this man over him.

"No, I'm fighting for us. Suki can close her eyes. She does not have to worry about such things. I'm fighting to ... protect Suki-chan."

"The way you protected me from Daddy. The way you protected me from Natsuki-chan? Is that it?"

"No, it was an accident. Suki knows it was an accident. She was trying to wake up my mistress, and Suki-chan was so depressed. We didn't do it on purpose. We just couldn't help it."

"She was everything to me. You took her away from me!" Keikosuki cried.

"No, Suki shouldn't cry. Natsuki didn't want you to be happy. Not I am not the enemy. I protect Keikosuki. I protect Suki-chan! I make her strong! She can face the world with me by her side."

Grabbing Persephone's throat with one hand, Keikosuki lifted Hisana's frail body a few inches above the ground. Persephone shifted again in Yamada.

"Silence!"

The world around it changed, like the shifting of thousands of pixels in a video game. The Kuchiki mansion and garden gave way to the inner world of Keikosuki Ichinose. A green valley like the plains of... White clouds floating very low ... In the distance, a castle perched on the hill. Byakuya straightened a little, getting back to his feet painfully.

"Suki…"

Persephone struggled in the air for a few seconds before Suki let go.

"I am awake now. My eyes are wide open! I will take over. Now."

Persephone lowered his head.

"Suki, I can't let go… If I do that, it will weaken our defenses. We will be risking everything. Just for nothing… We will lose. I know what is good for us. I did my best… I'm the one who fights for Suki."

"I said, shut up!"

Persephone frowned.

"I said Kuchiki-sama is the limit! Free him! Free them all! Such ... such is my will. Free Kuchiki-sama! Persephone let him go! Now!"

"But if I do that ... I can't do that… I need to Protect Suki."

"You never understood me. I'd rather die. I'd rather this end here than hurt Kuchiki-sama. So, let him go! Please!"

Byakuya witnessed the scene without being able to intervene. He closed his eyes with the idea of joining forces with hers. Doing something for her… But when he reopened them, Shane was leaning over him. He was back on the battlefield.

She passed out. While he recalled the last events, Keikosuki fell asleep against him. Her muscles relaxed; her fan hit the ground in a metallic jingle. He stared at the object for a moment, almost expecting Persephone to show his nose again, almost daring it to. He was tempted to abandon this weapon of doom on the battlefield. But he realized that, unfortunately, as Senbonzakura was part of him, that thing was part of Keikosuki Ichinose. He lifted her easily, wedging her head in the hollow of his neck, like one carries a sleeping child, and leaned over to pick up Persephone. However, walking was difficult, and he marched slowly to meet Unohana, who had just passed the Senkaimon with her men. He vaguely recalled Shane trying to recover Suki in his arms and Hinamori embracing his waist before tilting forward. His knees hit the ground, and he looked up at the sky, holding to her sleeping form. One drop after another ... It had started to rain.

**"Can't Help Falling in Love" Cover [DARK VERSION] (feat. Brooke) / Produced by Tommee Profitt**

Rain conjured sweet patterns upon her skin, he noticed, washing away the grim leftovers of the battle on her round face. _I am a monster. I can't help being hungry all the time._ The sudden downpour covering his face at the same time concealed the sanctity of Kuchiki Byakuya's sadness.

**Wise men say…**

He stared at the sky above their heads, ignoring everything happening around him, drowning all the noises.

**Only fools rush in…**

_You could never hurt me. You hear me? You cannot hurt me like that except when you say you don't want to live._ He held onto her as his blood covered the ground where he was kneeling.

"Byakuya, it's Retsu. Let go! Byakuya, can you hear me?! Let us help you!"

He wouldn't let go; his arms clenched around her like iron. He stared at the sky, observed the clouds rolling further away. Unohana crossed his field of vision. But his eyes remained unblinking. He had just realized with a touch of irony.

He was hungry.

For life.

For her.

To the point where he could almost understand Persephone's gluttony, making him closer to that beast than he would care to admit.

He looked down again, and Keiko was sleeping soundly. She was even snoring a little, her body incredibly warm against him, her face, the picture of innocence. He progressively closed his eyes.

"It will be okay. Byakuya." Unohana said, encouraging Shane to move away so that she could take his place by Byakuya's side.

She watched the reflection of the sky in his empty eyes. She patiently waited until he closed his eyes to hold him firmly in her maternal embrace.

"It will be okay," Unohana whispered, nuzzling his head firmly, her eyes filled with determination.

* * *

**By Unknown** **Author** -

I don't know who draw this but it's simply beautiful. I love the vibrance in this model's hair. It's perfectly gold and brown, toned to perfection. It made me think of Keikosuki immediately. True, Keiko-chan is much more bronze-skinned and chubbier in my mind but the overall feeling is there. Keiko got a love for heavy geisha make-up and flashy garments. The sweetness tinted with melancholia is also there. 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Love was a drop of water in the grand scheme of things


	53. Love was a drop of water in the grand scheme of things

* * *

**Ryo Kunieda**

Kurosaki Ichigo's classmate

Ranked second in her grade on the school exams at Karakura High School

Undefeated track & field regional champion

Girlfriend of Sado Yasutora

If the universe could grant a pragmatic girl a wish and tell her boyfriend she loves him very much.

* * *

Ryo remembered where they met, and it wasn't at school. Really, if she had to tell the story of where she met her amazing boyfriend, she would never be so lame as to put its settings in the lame constrict of a dull classroom. No, even though he had been in her class since the second year of junior high, she really met him on a Tuesday in front of the Banjo Ramen Shop in the Yellow district. Before, he was just the weirdo who happens to hang out with the most popular boy in their grade, Ichigo Kurosaki. She wasn't a Kurosaki groupie, mind you. But even she will admit, Ichigo was one of the most handsome boys at school with his iconic red hair. Alright, like a lot of girls, she had a crush on him when she was in junior high. But thankfully, this thing she had, didn't linger, since she realized nothing could save a shitty personality, not even the best shooting rates in basketball. Yes, she said it. Ichigo was a bit too self-absorbed and self-righteous for her taste.

She got that he lost his mother early on. Life was a bitch like that. That was tough. But hey, he wasn't the only one! Her father dropped off the surface of the planet one day. He may be already dead for all she knows. Her mother was an attorney assistant addicted to prescription pills and alcohol to boot, and her brother was a junkie and a yankee. You never saw her complain, or mop, or be an emotional rollercoaster because of it. Yet, Ichigo was. Also, she never forgave him for ignoring that poor Orihime Inoue's crush for so many years. What kind of boy couldn't notice that girl kissing the ground he walks on and at least be brave enough to acknowledge it?

A blind idiotic coward. That's what he was.

The only thing cool about him was Chad standing beside him, really. She did learn later that Ichigo had been seeing ghosts and things from the other world since he was a kid. Kuchiki Rukia transferred her power to him one night and since then nothing was ever normal in his life. She conceded it may be deemed mitigating circumstances and all.

But truly Ichigo wasn't a cup of tea and her dislike may have simply been rooted in the fact she could recognize herself a bit in him with that self-absorbed behavior. He was so wrapped up in his pain at times, he could not see anything else. On some level, she got that. She had her own shit to deal with like we previously established. At times, it got heavy. At times, she could be ungrateful and mostly mean.

So, yes, back to her meeting the love of her life, how to put the settings? She stood in her snow-white trench coat outside the Banjo Ramen Shop waiting for her new client. Usually, she never met clients in her school uniform because it tended to give them kinky ideas, which was the kind of foolishness she did not want to entertain. But her mother had been home early, and they had a fight about Ryo giving money to her older brother Akiko. She left the house in a hurry, pretending to go to cram school. So, she was in her Karakura high school uniform under that trench coat.

No, she wasn't selling her body or her panties. So, don't get too mixed up. The only thing she was selling was her brain. She was selling essays and test scores to a crowd of college aspiring students, most of her clientele coming from Karakura private school. That day her client had been an aspiring doctor with a literature problem. Easy Breezy. A couple of boys ogled her as they went by, but she was minding her own business while she was waiting to get paid. That's when she saw him. He was standing on the other side of the street, having a smoke with one of his bandmates. He wore a leather jacket and a German rock band shirt. Well, she knew because she loved that band. He was smiling and it strikes her as odd. He never smiled much at school. He was never that expressive. Even scowling was a rare occurrence with this guy. It always seemed like Ichigo did everything for him. But Ichigo wasn't there and he was in his element. He looked cool beyond beliefs.

Their eyes met. She froze, her heart rushing in her chest wildly. Time seemed to freeze for eternity as they stood there on either side of the crowded street. Then, the moment passed. Just when a bus paused and dropped a bunch of people at the bus stop, the moment passed. He looked away first. He ignored her and entered the Sugar Cane bar with his bandmates.

Boy, she was pissed! Ryo was incensed that he had the nerve to pretend he didn't see her there. That he had the nerve to ignore her! What a dickhead!

In class though, she acted cool like it was nothing. But as soon as the class ended, she ran back to the house she shared with her absentee mother, changed into a crop top, a denim mini skirt and bike boots. She pushed the door of the Sugar Cane bar, searching for him. He was easy to spot, as the insanely talented tall guy playing bass on the scene. She found her spot where he could see her easily and decided to make it her table.

Even though they were locking eyes during whole sets, staring at each other defiantly, he would never acknowledge that he knew her at the end. He would get down from the stage with his bandmates, exchanged with a couple of groupies, drink, eat something, leave without so much as a nod. And if at first, it pissed her off, well it strangely became accommodating after a while. She didn't have to pretend to be interested in what he had to say like she did when she was at school. If she listened to Michiru asking if Kurosaki was going out with Kuchiki one more time, she thought she could jump over a bridge. The fact that they didn't talk, well, it was a change of pace. She couldn't even explain why. It just did. She kept coming there every once in a while, sitting in that favorite spot of hers, ordering her favorite mango pineapple cocktail, watching him play.

Once, she spotted Ichigo's redhaired in the crowd before she got to her table and dashed for the door like a maniac. It helped that she was a fast runner. That was silly, she almost didn't care if the whole world knew of her extracurricular activities, yet she thought they had developed some kind of weird rhythm, Chad and her, something that was incredibly intimate. As if…those were secret silent dates. Okay, maybe she had been crazy erratic with this. She admitted being prone to obsessive addictive behavior like the rest of her family. But as she danced through their cover of Dancer in the dark, she could forget everything, free herself from even the expectations that she was even a good dancer. She felt herself tingling with little sparks of happiness. What could be cooler than that?

**Dancer in the Dark – The Rasmus**

Verbally Chad was the most guarded, physically able to shrink and fade into any background despite his size, especially when he was at school and standing beside Kurosaki Ichigo. But on stage, his presence was commanding among his bandmates. The light would hit his face exquisitely as he focused intensely on the music. They would look into each other's eyes both savoring the moment, her dancing, him playing, her laughing, him smiling, her spinning, him getting dizzy watching her.

She'd start meeting a few clients there. In retrospect, it may have been a bad idea because she caught the attention of a stalker, who mistakenly thought she was on the other side of the trade business. The dark side.

"Hello, beautiful! I've been watching you for a while and I was wondering if you have time on your schedule for someone like me."

Well, she would never discriminate clients on the base of their appearances, but that guy looked shady, and obviously he was interested in what she had to sell. When he sat down without any invitation next to her and dropped his dirty paw on her thighs, she knew he was up to no good. She wasn't that greedy for money and her "World travel fund" could wait. She immediately got up, stumbling in another chair noisily, grabbed her backpack, and hightailed it out of there.

"I'm sorry, you must be confused."

"Hey, don't pretend to be offended. I know what you're doing with all those boys… A young girl coming to such place…"

She ran outside, crossing the streets, hoping he would let go. But no, he was a quick runner too. She climbed in the first bus to get home. But the molester boldly followed her there, grabbing on her bag. She jumped to get out, stumbled in the stairs, and dropped on her knees, bleeding. He quickly grabbed her arm.

"Come on, you're a bit stingy. All those clients and you wouldn't take me… That's not nice. There's a love hotel just right there. It will be quick." The guy said.

Except that when he turned, he bumped on a human wall called Chad. He more specifically bumped on Chad's fist, and he collapsed like a blown candle. Ryo was stunned, staring at that asshole, knocked out cold, his jaw broken.

"We should probably run, Ryo," Chad said with the kind of casualness that completely clashed with the situation.

She stood there like a broken doll, before noticing the closing crowd, realizing he may be right. She looked up in his direction. Still standing there, coolly. A cop's car was swerving on the sidewalk, parking at a reasonable distance. Chad finally grabbed her hand firmly and off they went, in a mad dash through the dubious alleys of the yellow district. They round a corner and before she could blink his hands were on her thin waist, lifting her up so she could climb a fence. The car stopped behind them in the alley. She climbed down nimbly forgetting she was not even wearing shorts, waiting for him. She was stunned at how athletic he is. She had imagined considered his size; it would have been a steep climb. But no, he made it easily enough, landing gracefully, his face shiny with sweat. The cops were running toward them, one of them oversize was ready to just lay and die. She found the time to empathize with him as her lungs were also on fire. Chad grabbed her hand again and pulled her behind. Was it the kind of trouble, he usually got in with Ichigo? Oh! God! She was in a pursuit with a delinquent. Being chased was nothing like the romantic drama she watched with the girls, where the idols look heroic, sexy, and in command of the situation. The reality was far removed from that pretty version of running to save your skin. When Chad stumbled on a street littered with massage parlor, tattoos and bars, she started to get a bit nervous to tell the truth. He stopped in front of a porch, drawing his keys. Before she could blink and realized the situation, she was in his apartment. He dropped the keys on a table in the entry, took off his jacket and his shoes, and disappeared in the bathroom.

Breathing still labored, Ryo stood there, her brain numb. She surveyed her surroundings warily. Was he some kind of pervert? She just realized she followed him meekly. What kind of dumb girl follow a guy she barely knows in his home the first day? He went to the bathroom, was it to run a bath for her? Was it the foreplay of the serial killer before he rapes and kills his victims?

"You're bleeding… Come here."

She was…what? Ryo's eyes opened wide. She turned to Chad slowly. He was standing with an emergency kit. Huh?

"Your knee? Doesn't it hurt?"

She blinked as she realized. Oh! Yes, she did scrape her left knee badly when she fell from the bus. She finally nodded as if oxygen finally rushed back to her brain. She was so lame sometimes. He sat on a forged retro travel case turned coffee table and invited her on the couch. She clumsily took off her shoes. She noticed it had a couple of retro travel stamps stickers. Mexico. L.A. Amsterdam. She sat down slowly in front of him. He carefully cleaned her wounds with care.

"Your bass?"

"I left it at the bar. It's no big deal. Will get it back tomorrow."

She nodded, her face furrowed in concentration. He left in a hurry to help her. Wow! That felt nice! Chad carefully put a bunny Band-Aid on it. She wanted to laugh.

"Are you okay?" He said.

She nodded weakly. Then she frowned again.

"You really know who I am?"

"We've been classmates for 4 years, Ryo. You're our class delegate. I voted for you in the last election." Chad said casually.

"But you never said anything… I thought you didn't recognize me."

"Well, you're no Clark Kent. Simply thought you didn't want anyone knowing about what you were doing…" He said as he carefully closed the emergency kit.

"What I am doing?!"

She blushed. He honestly didn't think she was selling…

"I'm not a slut or anything!" She snapped.

He nodded.

"I mean… I know it sounds weird, but I just sell essays and online tutoring. I only dress sexy because it helps my business. That's just branding."

He nodded.

"It's not because I dress like that… That I am that kind of girl…"

He nodded.

"I need to make some money to help my brother and because I want to leave town after I graduate…But that's beside the point, I'm not a whore. Never will be."

He nodded with a blush, visibly astounded at her bluntness.

"It's just. My brother is a yankee with a drug problem…"

He nodded again.

"My mother threw him out on the street. But without money, there's nothing he could do but get in more trouble. He relies a lot on me. My mother, she's a problem herself ever since my dad left, except she's rich enough to hide it…"

He simply nodded politely.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

He frowned, staring deep into her eyes.

"Why wouldn't I believe you? You're the smartest person at school." He said matter-of-factly.

"That's right! Thank you! No, it's just I don't want you to get the wrong idea…"

"I never thought you were doing something this. When the owner asked me what you were doing, because he generally doesn't allow any shady business in his bar, I told him you were a tutor. It seemed it was all for the best."

"He asked you?"

Chad nodded, his hair concealing his left eye. He stood up.

"Want something to drink? I have sodas."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Orange or pineapple. Pineapple, right? I don't have Mango juice. But there's a shop right in the corner, I could get you some."

"Yes, pineapple. Pineapple is fine. But my question was more why did he ask you?"

"You like nachos? That's all I got."

"Yes. I love it. I like them spicy. If you have cheese… Melt away…"

He turned to stare at her, as if he was seeing her for the first time.

"What?"

"Jalapenos?"

"Sounds good. Never had it. I'm down to try. Still haven't answered my question."

"You will love it if you like spicy things. He thought you were my girlfriend."

"Huh?"

"I prepared the jalapenos myself. A family recipe."

"I mean, huh? Rewind. Your girlfriend? And you're Mexican, right?"

"On my mother's side, yes."

"That's why you're the best student in Spanish. You're better than anyone, little me included. I was always so jealous."

"Well, most people choose English as their first language. There's maybe five of us in that class. I'm beyond lazy. I am average at best at school."

"That's not true. You have excellent grades in Spanish."

"Well, I have no merits. I lived for five years in Mexico with my grandad, following my parent's death."

"Both your parents died?"

"Yup."

He lowered his head. She frowned so he continued.

"My mom was a Spanish teacher here. My dad was a car salesman."

"What happened to them?"

"They went on a honeymoon and never came back."

"What?"

"Their plane never made it to Hawaii. I was left with my grandmother. But she didn't take well the death of her son and she died just a couple of months after that. I went to live with my maternal Grandfather until he untimely passed away too."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. It's life. They were old and already heartbroken. It's never natural for parents to lose their children."

"You don't feel lonely?"

"Not really. I have friends."

"Ichigo…"

"He is like a brother to me."

"I see. You know I really have a good memory?"

"Hum?"

"I did ask you a question earlier. I intend to get my answer one way or another. "

He smiled.

"You only came when I was playing. I guess he thought…"

"He thought?"

"That we were dating…"

Her eyes opened wide in horror before she frowned again in concentration. Interrogating this guy took skills. She was starting to get the hang of it. Yet, she just realized he must have thought she was stalking him.

"Well, I did ask him to keep that table open for you." He said, answering her silent question.

She loved that table. It was a rather perfect spot.

"You did? Why?"

Chad handed her the pineapple juice.

"Don't know… It felt nice to play in front of a familiar face. Aside from Ichigo, I never had anyone coming to my gig."

"I see…"

"And you?"

He sat down on the table again, staring at her intently.

"Me?"

"Why did you come?"

"It's not because I was interested in you." She said with a shrug. She pushed her hair away. She really didn't want to look like a stalker. What if he thought she was a weirdo?

He simply nodded and dropped the plate of nachos on the table next to him.

"So, you live here?" She said, breaking the heavy silence.

"Yes. It's been three years now."

"Alone?"

"You just said that you're not interested. Why do you ask?"

"I never said... Well, I said… but it's because…I mean…"

"So, you're interested?" Chad asked, a bit confused.

"Yes, no… What am I saying? What kind of conversation is that?"

Chad swallowed hard.

"I'd like to know more about you too."

"You ignored me." She retorted.

"What?"

"You ignored me."

"No."

"You did. For weeks… I had to… Well… stalk you… ending up getting myself my very own stalker in the process. It's embarrassing."

He seemed surprised.

"I didn't want to bother you, that's all. You sometimes do your homework there. How was I supposed to know you felt lonely?"

"I don't feel lonely. I'm plenty busy, Mister. I just wanted to know more about you cause it's you."

That was the strangest confession and he watched amused Ryo sigh, squirm and curse her own babbling mouth.

"You mean to tell me that all this time, you were just too shy to say hello?"

He looked away, his turn to blush. This big Doofus! She almost couldn't believe it. But the candid expression on his face said it all. He was the worse. This guy, really? She leaned forward, holding his face and she pressed her lips against his, feeling under her fingers, his body going from a tight pile of crisped muscle to pliable clay. His lips started to move with hers as he responded to the kiss. The more she was leaning, the more uncomfortable it gets, but she didn't have any intention to just stop there. It just felt so unexpectedly perfect like a rain shower in the middle of summer. Something foreign but genuinely natural. The scent of his heated skin. She imagined he would be hesitant and clumsy. But no, he kissed her back matching her intensity. They broke apart when she really couldn't deal with the pressure on her back. He stared at her with the same expression, maybe with a hint of wonder this time.

"What was that for?"

She shrugged with a grin, stroking her back to dull the pain.

"Well, I figured if I have to wait another four weeks for you to make the next move. I better get an advance. Where's your bathroom?" She said, bolting on her feet.

"On the left."

He said before he grabbed on her wrist. She leaned over to capture his lips again.

"Right, there's also the matter of getting my return on investment. Be prepared."

Before she knew, she was lifted in the air.

"What are you doing? Put me down."

"Ryo Kunieda, are you trying to seduce me?"

"I have the wrong panties today but if we're already negotiating with girlfriend status and privileges, well, we could say that. I'm super impressed we are both so lame. I know you are too, impressed that is, with that cute expression on your face. We should be amazing together. That's what I think."

He blushed and kissed her hard.

"You always talk this way?"

"I'm much worse. I have absolutely no patience. So, don't try to surprise me for Christmas. Never delay something we're meant to do. I will be pissed. Life is way too short to lose a minute of it and I don't want to lose a minute of it. You shouldn't want to lose a minute of it. Promise me we're never gonna lose a minute of it as long as we're together. If that's a deal for you, you got yourself a girlfriend." She said playing with the hem of his shirt.

"I promise…"

He softly put her down and slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

"So…"

"I'm following your advice here. You can run…scream…or simply say you don't want to…"

It was a turn to open her eyes wide like a doe stuck in the headlights. But she initiated this after all.

"(…) He said with a Casanova attitude, showing off his impressive bad boys tatoo about love and death, while blushing like a schoolgirl. You're so cute all the time, Chad Yasutora. But I truly got the wrong panties today. Thursday panties are horrible. Friday, Sunday, and Monday panties are good. They are even sexy. Especially Friday. You'd like Friday… They're lacy and colorful. But Thursday panties, they're mortifying. Don't laugh."

"Ryo, I think I love you." Chad whispered.

She nodded, very casually.

"Okay, you can see for yourself. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Well, life was indeed too short. In the grand scale of things, they didn't spend enough quality time together. That's what she thought, when she noticed the sky changing, the clouds rolling unnaturally toward Ichigo's neighborhood. The day started badly enough. A lot of seats were empty. Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, Uryū…

She stared at Kuchiki Rukia's empty seat.

"What happened? Where are your comrades?" The homeroom teacher said as she controlled the attendance notebook. "Kurosaki again? Inoue…Yasutora… Ishida…Kuchiki… What? Is there some kind of contagion going on?"

Chizuru shrugged dramatically.

"I already missed my Orihime. I'm sure it's related to the 'death in her family situation'."

**Trading Yesterday - Shattered (MTT Version)**

Ryo said nothing. A sense of dread was suddenly growing inside her. She tried to remember what Chad told her on their last phone call. He called really late and she had been half asleep. He wanted to let her know he was okay and to not worry if he had to skip school the next day. He needed to see Ichigo. Because last time they met, it didn't go well. Ichigo was troubled. He didn't know how to help. She remembered being pissed. Not only he was calling her so late, letting her worry for nothing, but he had the audacity of talking only of Ichigo. Ichigo wasn't her problem. Chad was. Why did he turn her into her flaky shaky girlfriend straight from her rom-com drama? Someone who shifts in hilariously hysterical mode if she missed the one call from her boyfriend. He said he was sorry. Then she was angry because it made her feel remorseful, then she got mad at herself because she was just the kind of person she hated. The spectator[MR1] kind. The sappy unrealistic egocentric. Of course, she understood he wanted to help. Of course, she knew he cared about his friends. It made sense. All of it made sense. But she couldn't do anything about it, it's not like she had any special powers.

The ground started to shake, and the room was suddenly filled with screams. She stared at the horizon in panic. She suddenly rose on her feet and grabbed her bag.

"Hey! Kunieda! Under the table. Earthquake emergency procedure!"

She stumbled face to face with Mizuiro Kojima. The other teen stared at her curiously.

"You know Kunieda, you will have to fear the light. If there's light, it means he can see you. You don't want that…"

"What?"

"Just stay in the dark. You will be fine if you do. Tell Chad I said Hi!"

Ryo frowned. Did Chad tell Mizuiro about them? He offered no more explanation. He just stood there, his hands in his pockets, seemingly unbothered in the growing chaos. She surveyed her surroundings frantically. Something was definitely not right. They all could sense it… What Chad once told her was the rise in spiritual pressure in the air… signaling the proximity of shinigamis or hollows. They were all aware of it. Ryo stumbled on her chair and pushed it clumsily out of the way. She needed to go. Without thinking, her feet started to move. She pushed the door, crossed the hallway and climbed down the stairs. Ryo was the best runner in the entire district area two consecutive years. Before she knew she was out in the streets, seemingly lost.

She turned toward the school one last time. Mizuiro Kojima was still staring at her from the window, his eyes solemn.

She forgot. She didn't tell Him. Chad... She started to run again toward Urahara's shop. " _Well, this is where I spent another majority of the time. The owner is a shinigami. Kisuke Urahara. He is an ally…"_

She was close. So close. She lifted her gaze toward the sky and realized she could see the monsters albeit it was quite blurry. She could see Chad fighting. She wanted to scream with relief. She wanted to cry. She was so ridiculously happy to see him. People started to collapse in the street around her. Metallic noises. Deafening noises. A plane crashed against the Watchtower at the airport, A helicopter against a tower building.

Ryo didn't see the car coming, its driver unconscious behind the wheels.

In all retrospect, she felt nothing. Not even when her body collided with the hood of the car **. She was already so sleepy.** Her bones and muscles crushed on the impact. She felt like she was flying really as she rolled over the windshield. She soared in the air like a bird. Just before her body smacked the pavement limply, Ryo remembered Chad saying goodnight to her and hanging up. She didn't say that she loved him. She didn't have time to remind him that although she was pissed, she cared. Breaking the promise, she made to him, she lost time and became ungrateful. She lost precious time instead of just celebrating.

As blood covered the ground beneath her, she exhaled at last. Life was too short. Sometimes, you just couldn't right a wrong cause life was way too short for that. Darkness fell upon her.

* * *

**Reiichi**

Leader of the Zero division

Son of the King

If Love was a drop of water in the sea, Regret was an endless stream. Unfortunately, he could measure neither.

* * *

The members of the Zero Division entered the room parting around the central lower table, kneeling to their seat, each placing their weapon in front of them. Reiichi was always the last to kneel. He was facing his brother at the other end of the sphere, the contrast between their personalities couldn't be more obvious.

With his ebony hair, he was as dark as Masakira was flamboyant. Since they were twins, they often shared the same expressions even if there were far more emotion in Masahiro's eyes than in his brother. In Masahiro, his inner turmoil was constantly bubbling close to the surface like the most active of all terrestrial volcanoes. His temper was known to everyone, his reputation preceded him every time he entered a room. The walls rippled constantly to absorb his reiatsu greedily. Reiichi never liked being contradicted. That's why he hated these gatherings.

They all waited for the doors to patiently lock them in with a sickening metallic noise to start the session.

"Without preamble, let's start with some good and bad news. Tadashi Ichinose is dead, and according to Ego, someone has been tampering the Reality Engine from downstairs, triggering the Red Protocol. There is a skirmish in Soul Society which is causing great instabilities in all the realms. I do not really care about the details. But it seems like there is a need for us to deal with this Aizen situation sooner than later."

There was a collective gasp, mainly coming from Kirio.

"That is not the bad news," Masahiro said.

"What is the bad news then?" Kirio retorted. It seemed to her that it was already horrible enough that he just said one of them had died. He even talked of something messing up the reality engine, the thing controlled by the Spirit God itself. What could be worse?

"The King is awake, and he is hungry." He said.

This time, it was Izayoi's turn to gasp, her hands over her mouth. Kirio turned to her with a frown. A lone tear streamed down the pale cheek of the princess.

"The Red Protocol must have awakened him up slightly ahead of schedule. This is still unclear."

"What did he ask? Did he give you a list?"

"I don't have a list. I didn't accept one this time."

She sighed, clearly relieved. There was a sudden pregnant pause.

"It can't be helped anyway. Once in a while, every creature needs to feed. It doesn't seem fair that his Majesty's diner alone garners such attention. He is allowed to be hungry from time to time without judgment. He works so hard for our sake."

"You're sure one to talk, Izayoi," Masahiro grunted at the hypocrisy of it all.

"Husband, if I'm not mistaken, it's just a matter of feeding him and putting him to sleep. It requires minimum effort. That girl… Master Tadashi's girl, I recall… she was the last on that list. We could…" Reini rationalized.

Furuichi immediately frowned, closing his fist nervously.

"I don't remember who you're referring to." Masakira said without blinking.

"She is Furuichi's relative too? You know she was small like this with big eyes." Izayoi said gesturing with her hands.

"You have quite the memory." Furuichi said.

"Well, she was the last one on the list. I knew his Majesty had quite an interest in her. I don't remember what happened to her after that."

"I don't know either. Maybe she died. It was a long time ago."

"Nope, she is very much alive." Ego said, staring at his tablet. "She is a renowned chef at the family restaurant. Oh! She's a captain! Oh I knew her face was familiar! That was this Suki!"

The scientist showed around the picture of Suki fighting Barruk above the Onose River on his tablet

"Yes, it's her. She is even more lively and healthy. I say she's perfect."

"I absolutely admire your sense of empathy and your recovery skills, Moon of my life. You went from Dread to Joyful Anticipation in one instant." Reiichi cut in, harshly.

"I am just being pragmatic, my lovely Ray of Sunshine. We are gathered to find solutions together."

"What if you were on the list? I recall you were on it once. Yet, I didn't remember you being pragmatic then. I remembered some begging… But no soliloquy on the sacrifice on behalf of others for the greater good."

"Well, nobody could fault her for that? Could they? It's not like it's an honor to be chosen." Kakira muttered to no one in particular.

Izayoi smiled, politely avoided her husband's gaze. Masakira shifted amiably in his seat.

"I think, Imouto, understand this is all part of the grand scheme of life. Useless to be angry at the messenger. We are all bored here, Hiro-chan. Let's just put this girl on the list and move on." Masakira said.

"You're too kind, brother. But it's okay, I do understand my husband's reservations."

"Perfectly, Masakira. I don't care if she thinks she understands. What if somebody she cares about was on that list? That is my question."

Reini clutched the hem of her Kimono with trembling hands. She laughed softly before her face became cold.

"Ha!"

She remained speechless and visibly offended.

"How- dare you?!"

"Izayoi…"

"I don't have the luxury of having someone I care about. Someone precious like that. Thanks to the rampant greed turned into a raging tumor that is your family. Forgive me if I ask you to spare me from your sermons, husband."

Reiichi turned to his wife sharply. He nodded just as coldly.

"So, you wouldn't understand… and that's my point, my love." He said with the look that say he will give the lessons no matter what. The endearing words they exchanged seemed just as cutting than their insults directed at each other. The room fell into silence.

Kirio hesitated, one hand raised.

"I'm sorry. Can I say something? I will say something! I think saying Reini would not understand is a bit harsh. Especially the way you said it. I think she'd totally get it if something happened to you or Kakira? I think that's what she means."

Reiichi frowned and almost groaned at Reiyon's intervention. As far as Izayoi was concerned, he did not need an interpreter. He also did not like being told he was wrong. He thought he made it clear to her earlier. Reini nodded, silently thanking Reiyon.

"Indeed… It's like she said. I'd feel damaged and empty. As much as you berate me every time we meet for just being, your grace, I'd feel strangely unprepared if we were to ever be separated by something as definitive as death. That is the definition of mourning if I am correct."

She smiled amiably.

"My bad. Then you can understand why there's a missing spot beside you?" He said just as coldly.

She frowned, confused.

"Master Tadashi?"

"He lived to protect this girl. The man was enamored with all his daughters. Yet, she was undoubtedly his favorite."

"What proof do we have that he is dead anyway?" Masakira asked.

"Well, with no trace of his soul marker anywhere, we can only reach this type of conclusion. But it's true maybe we should investigate." Ego cut in.

"You seemed saddened, Masakira. Were you counting on eating the leftovers like last time?"

"Well, it's only that now I can see Izayoi's point then. If he's really gone, he won't miss the girl." Masakira retorted callously.

"Yes, but now who will cook for you? Idiot!"

Reiichi said.

"What did you say?"

"I called you idiot. You're the biggest idiot if you think the man actually like serving you. It was just his job. It was part of the deal. You and me, we are monsters to them. You think he would have served you people his daughter on a plate."

Izayoi and Masakira both looked ready to growl. Masakira shrugged.

"To me, He seemed quite dedicated. But like I care for their thoughts. They're the lamb. I am a wolf. What more is there to this?"

"Lamb here, would like to focus the conversation on not getting eaten. Forgive me, Wolf." Furuichi noted deadpan.

" Forgiven. Well, who's to say she knows anything? His skills and knowledge were quite unique. You're telling us, he is gone, indeed that constitute a problem. But fortunately, we have quick ways to solve this. We could reverse time and revive him…"

"Are you mad?" Masahiro retorted.

"Why not?"

"Why we don't freeze time and reverse it?"

"Yes, they are being unruly and petty. It's a quick way to put back things as they should. There will be no problem then. Father did it once or twice. We could ask for his help. Knowing there's something to gain, he will help."

"The Quincies were eradicated then. I'm not even talking about the Hollows…"

"A small price to pay so we could all go on our merry way doing what we love…"

"I can see several billions of reasons why living and breathing downstairs…"

"You're always so picky with the details. Alright, the man loves breeding. He had something like a hundred of those tiny giggly piggy daft brats. Like Mice, they were. So, disposable, they should all be. One of them must have learned the trade… If not all of them… We could use what's left of as ingredients. How about that for pragmatism? Problem solved."

"Wrong again. 20. That was the number of his daughters. Among whom only 11 are still alive. Only four have spiritual pressure of any significant quality. That Suki is the only one with any nutritional value. Also, Tadashi was known to be extremely secretive with his recipes, even keeping secrets from his loved ones." Furuichi said.

"Not to side with my brother, Furuichi-san, but Master Tadashi wouldn't have committed suicide without a plan. He was never so short-sighted. Plus, I know of your ties with the family. So, I am aware of your bias. I'll let it slide though because I know you only have the best interest of the King at heart, isn't that right?"

Furuichi swallowed hard. It was impossible to ignore the veiled threat behind Reiichi's words. He nodded.

"Ties around your neck, that's what you mortal souls specialize in. You have children although I don't care enough to ask their fates." Masakira said dejectedly.

"Yoruichi and Yūshirō. They are all well, Brother. For now." Masahiro said, giving Furuichi a cold calculated look.

"Well, I was simply saying the kid is powerful, there's no denying it. But to think she could replace him… that's…That's a wild stretch." Furuichi said.

"No. It's not. It's the Perfect Insurance. It's Brilliant." Reini whispered, turning to Reiichi.

"So, she is not a good candidate for the list and she is not a good candidate for the vacant position of cook. Which is it, Furuichi?"

"Well, it all came out of the blue. His majesty wasn't scheduled for a meal for at least several centuries. I just think we shouldn't make that kind of move in a hurry."

"What are you going to do now?" Izayoi asked her husband.

"Like I said, I didn't get a list. I just need to select the suitable ingredients for his meal. Enough to make my father forget about Keikosuki Ichinose or you, Izayoi. Enough to boost his creativity and buy us some more time before the end of the world as we know it. Hopefully and that's a stretch, enough to satiate him… For that, I'm counting on you, Ego. But Furuichi, I will need a cook. So, if it's not Keikosuki Ichinose, find me one. It's either that or letting his majesty out… to hunt and prey…"

Izayoi gasped.

"Trust me! The last option is out for me too. I didn't say she couldn't be a cook. But how you expect me to lure her here, she's a captain. Not a convict. I can't just magically kidnap her. Yamamoto wouldn't stand for it. What if she doesn't know how to cook?"

"Indeed. Well, try her sisters then. The ones with potential. Make it work. Make it look like a simple formality. Bring them to me so we could test their skills."

"They just lost their father," Kirio said.

"And?"

"Well, the family had been through a lot." She added.

"Don't let me be misunderstood, Reiyon, this is me taking the peaceful path."

"I wish you would take the human one. That's all."

Silence fell again. Masahiro glared in her direction.

"They're people who lost someone. Can't you give them the time to grieve? And maybe one of them will be revealed competent enough and will accept the job if you just ask nicely."

It was almost comical how everyone was trying to look elsewhere but at those two.

"I am asking nicely. Bring them to me." Masahiro grunted.

"Okay, so we're supposed to just comply and be eaten."

"If you don't want the world to collapse, in a nutshell, yeah. Any other questions, Kirio?"

She joined hands before her, pursuing her lips.

"Well, cooking is a hazardous hobby, something that can cost someone's life if not skilled enough… or done improperly. I can't see anyone volunteering to the task. I admire your optimism, Kirio, but I am siding with Masahiro here. We're supposed to provide his Majesty, that's part of the job. If we didn't, it'd be much worse to have him roam this land, starving." Ego said.

"It's done then. Furuichi, I will be waiting."

"Isn't that a task more suitable to Reisan? It is more his cup of tea than mine. He is the secret mission type." Furuichi nodded.

"I was giving it to you as a courtesy. But if you want Reisan to do it, I don't have objections. You know how he is. Capricious but eager to please."

"At least, you have a pet like that. Good for you." Furuichi retorted, visibly irritated.

Ego put his hand on Furuichi shoulder in order to appease him.

"Don't mind him… For the ingredients… I have a few candidates, Reiichi, since I took the liberty to prepare an informal list for you. But like Furuichi I'm not sure the girl can cook. She may be better just serving as an ingredient."

Furuichi's eyes opened wide in disbelief. What was Ego saying? Is that what he called helping?

"What other purposes could she have? Didn't her father designate her by leaving this world using those dramatic circumstances? He died literally knowing he was summoned. If you have a better idea, I am open to discussion."

"Oh, for her you're open to discussion. You don't want to use this girl. You want to hire her now. Isn't that a waste of time? Masakira is right. There are quicker and more efficient ways at your disposal."

"Why are you so adamant in provoking me, Izayoi?"

"I'm not. I'm just wondering why she gets to live. You know what happened in that room. She survived it. No mortal souls ever could… She lives with that much power… with enough energy to engineer a new reality… inside of her. Yet, she lives Downstairs. Freely. Without constraints. Last time I checked, there was a civil war because of her. And I wouldn't be surprised if she was wreaking havoc over there right this very moment. Why does she get a pass, your Grace? That's my question! What makes you hesitate?"

"Because I said so! Because he was a loyal servant!" He roared angrily.

"And I'm not?!" Reini shouted back.

"Did I ever suggested I'd put you on that list? Don't give me ideas!"

"It's worse than I thought! You think you owe him? Would father think the same? Shall we ask him?" Masakira said, disbelief written on his face.

"Do not push me."

"You looked more and more like Onee-chan. It's adorable. You were always such a sentimentalist. That girl she is the result of an experiment gone wrong. She is not your long-lost sister."

They were all looking at Reiichi with various degrees of curiosity. He finally nodded with a smirk.

"What happened if you killed that girl? I will tell you… Right now, she is just a girl with a destiny not worth a penny. Just Tadashi's girl. Freshly enrolled in the Gotei 13 as a captain probably sucking at the job. The perfect cover you guess correctly. He was smart. He probably got help too. But now, she is a captain. In the future, she will be the cause of a war for sure. Because the tiny people downstairs… They will fight for her. Like I don't know why yet... Maybe the same way they allied with Father and fought that guy once… They will fight for her. I can't know for sure… But they will… And you know what? They may win. Is that what you want? Destroy the whole system for just a girl? To prove your point. Because if that's what you want… We could do just that. I've seen it happened already. A thousand different ways."

"We could at least vote." Masakira said, showing his fangs.

"Then we could even achieve the same result by adding Kakira to the list today. What do you say? Father also created her the same way he made Keikosuki Ichinose. He brought Kakira into this world thinking he could get his beloved daughter back… Which way is quicker?" He turned to Izayoi then Masakira.

"Can I remind people I am still in the room?" Kakira suddenly said, staring at her father hard.

"I understand I share a few commonalities with that girl. But we're not talking about me, father. It's certainly good to know, you will be willing to sacrifice me in a heartbeat to satisfy the needs of the One above. I am lucky to have such a brave person looking out for me."

"You're old enough to look after yourself, aren't you? Then start doing it now!" Reiichi snapped.

Reini sighed, stunned. She shook her head, remorsefully.

"Stop it! I'm truly sorry, Kakira-chan. I started this by speaking out of turn. Your father just retaliated. You know how he is. He doesn't mean anything by it. Obviously, we are not here in the business of sacrificing our allies…or our next-of Kin."

"Yeah! Let's all calm down and think rationally. We have bigger worries than this. May I remind you someone tampered the reality engine..."

"Didn't we just say…"

"It's not Keikosuki Ichinose. "

"She wouldn't even know how to do that."

"Furuichi is right. I compared samples a dozen of times at least."

Reiichi sighed.

"I have a theory about that, Ego."

"Really?"

"I think when things get difficult, we should always trust the simplest answer. Father did it."

"His majesty? Impossible. His signature doesn't match. There is something out there we're not seeing."

"Well, Father has means to interact with the reality engine, even you Ego, can't comprehend…"

"That doesn't make any sense. Why would he tampered with something he entirely controls?" Ego countered.

The three Kaijus shared a look. Ego sneered.

"Well, I mean aside from wanting to just mess with us? You believe he is that vile?! He is the King! Why would he go that far?"

They shared another knowing look. Izayoi kept the same Mona Lisa smile on her lips but her contempt was definitely showing.

"Unbelievable, you people… you're something, you know."

"Urahara-san, you cannot deny our race have been inhabiting these planes of existence since time immemorial surviving by following different rules… You cannot from just your mortal point of view began to grasp what it really feels like, Reiichi is right."

"We are all made of flesh and blood! We are all fucking mortal, people! Even if you want to play pretend, you're this perfect timeless un-aging statue! You still age. Bitterly at times. Sorry, Princess!"

Black ink colored her left pupil. Her skin was so pallid it appeared translucent under the red light. She remained like her statue unblinking while Ego continued just as harshly.

"You rot from the inside and die…like the rest of us. You don't even have the salvation procreation gives to us. When it will be the end for you. There will be none of you left."

"Aren't you a cheeky one?" Masakira said with a grunt.

"I am simply stating facts. It's nothing personal."

Izayoi smiled sweetly, half of her face shifting into something resembling a hollow. She dangerously tilted her head to the left.

"It's never personal, is it? You want to compare my unending agony with yours. Fine. If you are like us, you will understand how meaningless your life is. Knowing it will end, and they will be nothing left of your legacy. Surviving the present would be as essential to you…as it is to us. It's not death we know should be feared. Death would be mercy. Yours would be sweet. A couple of welcoming life adventures, some thrilling tales of love and sacrifice and you will join the cycle, and be born anew… Then, by the Grace of the Spirit God, do it all over again. You wouldn't know hunger or thirst. You would live happily on your own time, getting entangled in relationships, friends and families... and everything that comes in between. That sounds wonderful. No, the true agony would be the Pit. True Death. Getting forced back into the dark slumber, without dreams, without expectations, or hope that you left anything behind to be remembered with. Being disconnected from the only connection you felt since birth. The connection to the cycle. Being ripped from it as if ripped from Heaven. Death will turn into a slumber you cannot wake up on your own from. Something like a dark prison… Something cold shackling your very soul… and nothing, not even grief could grow from there."

"Reini…"

"That's what happened to the king who sat under the eternal moonlight… He was dreaming and trusting his immortality, then he was not."

"Except, he managed to cheat the Spirit God and have himself the perfect children, didn't he? He was smart. I will give him that. So, his fate is not that bad, all things considered. All kings must die at one point."

"Perfection didn't stand being chased or hunted. It was useless before Greed. They all died the same way a legacy cannot survive the making of another legend, Masahiro. Pointlessly."

"Izayoi…"

"I was just stating facts. Nothing personal."

Her lips spread into a gentle smile, her face back to normal. There was a sudden heavy silence.

"But you're here, aren't you? Reini? You're here? So, there was hope. He must have felt it before..." Reiyon said.

She looked up and turned to Reiyon in shock. Reiichi frowned.

"I'm sorry… I said too much."

Reini nodded enthusiastically.

"I like this one. Should we keep her?" She joked. "Thank you, Kirio."

She was interrupted by the triggering of the alarm. Blaring. Unrelenting. It sounded like a shrill scream of sinners in Hell. The red lights started to shift again. A keyboard revealed itself in front of Ego, he quickly typed in his passwords and a translucent high-tech screen, appeared above the round table, allowing all participants to observe from all angles. Moon appeared on screen chanting and praying.

"Someone is using high-end demonic magic to summon the Guardians of Heavens."

Reiichi didn't look surprised.

"See. Father went fishing..."

"What?"

They all turned toward Reiichi anxiously.

"How did you know?"

 **"** We're living in his world; we should never forget it. **Kaikoroku?** Put Reisan on the line immediately."

**"Certainly, Reiichi. Searching for… Reisan. Third Member of The Zero division. Commander of the Intelligence Service of its Majesty.** **Target found.** **Connecting in 5…4...3…2…1"**

The surveillance grid targeted Number three and found him sitting on the edge of the tallest building in town, the Kojima tower. Closing-up on him, Kaikoroku identified him on the screen.

**Reisan**

**Name: Yomi**

**Last Listed Alias: Mizuiro Kojima or The Ghost**

**Last Listed Professions: Karakura High School student & CEO of Kojima Corp**

**Field of expertise: Master of Disguise**

**Actual assignment: Governor of Karakura –The crossroad of Spirits**

" Reisan, Reporting."

" We're in the middle of something important. Remind me why you're not here."

"Me too. It started. Kiborutō just been summoned by these people out of the blue. They got the Key to the Abyssal vaults now."

"How many casualties?" Reiichi growled.

"A thousand…No more like Five…Thousands… Maybe more... Don't know… Something like a lot…"

Reiichi closed his eyes for a minute, thinking.

"Good, his majesty is very hungry these days. These kinds of offerings will certainly please him. Will buy us some time. Come back immediately."

"Transfer just started…It's still my jurisdiction."

"I don't care. I need you now."

"One of my best buddies just died…"

Reiichi gave Ego an impatient look and without a word the scientist disconnected the call. A whole minute went by in silence before Thunder roared in the distance. A detonation was heard outside and finally the doors opened wide. His black hair brushed away from his face, looking like a ghostly version of a J-pop idol, Yomi stood in the threshold. He shed from his high-school uniform to a ninja-yoroi while walking, like it was a second skin. His features morphed from Mizuiro Kojima's friendly face to a cold creature with black orbs, his skin almost translucid, showing the arteries and veins on his neck.

"Welcome back." Ego ventured, startled at his expression.

"Who summoned the key?" Reikyû asked suddenly curious.

He acted every bit like they never got interrupted by Reisan's late arrival.

"Primeros!" Reisan shouted.

"Who?"

"Aborted hybrids of hollows and shinigami, created by Aizen Sousuke, using an Hōgyoku. By the way, I still have not found a way to extract and destroy this thing. It is therefore indeed worrying that Kiborutō is today in their hands. If Aizen..." The good doctor started to explain.

"Worrying? Am I really here for this?" Reisan said as he stepped in the room.

"Sit down." Reiichi said.

"Chad. Yasutora Sado. That was his name. My friend who died today. They all just died. Do you have an idea what just happened? Do you have an idea in how much trouble we are in?! Do you know who he was?"

"My father is awake, Yomi. I am in the worst of moods. So, I won't ask… again. Sit before you said anything you will regret and close the damn door behind you." Reiichi snapped.

Yomi immediately regretted his earlier outburst and swallowed hard. He did as he was told and begrudgingly sat down next to Kirio and Kakira.

"So, that beast is hungry again. I guess that was to be expected." He said more casually.

Furuichi nodded.

"Does he want to free Aizen?" Yomi added.

"His Majesty?" Kirio frowned. She couldn't believe this.

"Yes, because he really acts like that's what he wants."

Reiichi slammed the table angrily. Kakira gasped.

"I don't know. Something even I don't understand. He can plan… The spirit God will help him in that regard, but he doesn't control circumstances." Reiichi said. "Kaikoroku, initiate transfer toward "The manufactory".

"All of them?" Furuichi asked cautiously.

Staring straight in Yomi's eyes, Masahiro nodded.

"All of them."

Yomi closed his eyes, his expression hardening.

"What do we do about Kiborutō?"

"Kiborutō is an old artifact. Its loss is not harmful to his Majesty. At most, it is a key that opens one or two dimensions. But there are hundreds of similar artifacts in nature. We could leave the muscle part to the Gotei 13."

"Can they use Kiborutō to get here?" Reiyon asked.

"No, only Oken can open a portal to the royal palace. " Reigo explained.

"So, at least they cannot trespass. I guess it's good news."

"Still, it's not a good thing that they have it."

"Your positions will have to be reinforced in the coming hours. No matter what his Majesty says, if you value your life, you have no interest in failure. Reiyon, secure the perimeter around the palace. Reigo, I want more information on Reiroku's death and what we talked about earlier. Can you at least investigate?"

"I will."

"The excess nutrients will remain in Jigokuchō awaiting process. Jigokuchō will therefore have to support the war effort. Reikyû, you will administer the land in the meantime. Do not stuff your face and be selfish. Control your pets. Do not make me regret this."

Reikyû smiled crookedly.

"Reini…"

"Can I help Kakira-chan in Muken? It's been so long we could take the time to…"

Kakira's face lit up with excitement at the prospect. Unfortunately, Masahiro who wasn't above shattering on a girl's hope and dreams, immediately shut down's Izayoi's request.

"No, you will have to go to the Manufactory. There will be a massive arrival of souls tonight, the production line may be slow down or jammed because of it. You will make sure everything went smoothly. I want you to boost the cycle to 100% of its capacity."

"That is menial work."

"And?"

"I was only expecting a more diligent role. You cannot expect Kakira to be able to hold off an individual like Aizen on her own."

Kakira frowned, unsure of how she was supposed to take her mother's comment. That certainly did not look like a compliment.

"Why?"

"She is incredibly young. Imagine they opened that door on her..."

"Reisan, you will oversee gathering our army. We need a contingency plan. Reinana, you work on that list for me. Everyone got his assignments. I want a full report every hour."

"Don't ignore me, Reiichi."

"Oh! Reihachi, transfer all the prisoners from Muken to Dōkutsu as counter-measures."

"Dōkutsu is a medium security facility. It has nothing to do with my skills, I cannot guarantee the internment of convicts of that caliber there."

"Make it work."

"Okay. Basically, his Majesty wants to free Aizen. He wants it so much that he will trigger this whole chain of events to do it. According to your own theory? Yet, you don't want to give in. And we must obey you because? Does that mean that you're God now?"

"You see anybody else volunteering?"

In a few seconds, oxygen became scarce. Each particle of air was wrapped in Masahiro reiatsu. The ground vibrated almost imperceptibly under their feet.

Kakira rose on her feet, gritting her teeth.

"Very well, your highness. I am going. I have work to do."

She said before leaving the room.

"Don't disappoint your mother." Reiichi bellowed after her.

Reini clutched her fists angrily. Reiyon's eyes widened in dread. The others continued to watch the domestic scene in silence.

"That is all anyway. The session is adjourned."

"I could have helped her, you know?" Reini said.

"She will be fine on her own." Reiichi said.

"Can you pretend to care at times or is that too difficult? Can you just care about someone over than that wretched woman? She is gone and she will never come back." Izayoi strutted firmly toward the doors.

Reiichi looked up at that. His gaze met with Kirio. He was surprised to read the disappointment in her eyes, especially surprised to realize how uneasy it made him. She turned heels and exited the room, following Izayoi's departure.

Masakira, in a better mood than when he arrived, prepared to leave the room with a smirk.

"I may have a suggestion that would satisfy everyone ..."

"No genocide, Masakira." Masahiro replied.

"You don't know how to have fun. Are you really my brother?"

"You're not the only one wondering." Masahiro said.

One by one, they left their seats, except for Reisan who quietly sat there. The doors finally closed.

Masahiro sat down again.

"You didn't get your assignment?"

"We could do just that, you know."

He looked at Masahiro, straight.

"Let Aizen free in that goddamn chamber so that greedy motherfucker can swallow that pill for once. Good Riddance!"

"Then who will hold that thing? Aizen?"

"I know. I get it. You don't want to write yourself in a corner."

"It's not really about what I want, Yomi. They know someone tampered the reality engine."

Shock was written on Yomi's blank features.

"They don't know who yet or why… But it is a matter of time… They're really getting noisy downstairs."

"I am sorry, Boss. I thought I did not leave any traces. I had that guy do it."

"Well, obviously they left out enough details for Ego to catch up eventually. You told me it was a one-time thing. You called it an accident of fate. You told me the boy lost his power."

"Well, he did…"

"Then why are we in all this mess? Why were you so emotional earlier?"

"His friends…He's got a lot of them. They also got powers."

"That boy… you mentioned."

"His best friend. It's gotten exponentially more dangerous downstairs as we speak."

"Yes, meaning he is spreading his Influence." Reiichi sighed.

"It's not like that! He is not aware he is doing it. Try to understand. He is just a kid."

"Then he better stays that innocent!"

"Boss…"

"And you better leave out your emotions too… I get that you've been undercover for far too long, but those people are not your friends. They are the targets. They are the mission."

Yomi nodded firmly.

"If the truth ever comes out, Yomi…"

Yomi nodded again with more determination.

"I will gather a team."

"If I can't get insurance from you, I will take care of the problem myself."

"You won't have to, Boss. I will be on it."

Yomi stood up and bowed solemnly before stepping toward the doors. He paused on the threshold.

"You know. He really starts to look like her these days. The girls also. Wouldn't you want to see that?"

Reiichi remained alone at last. Taking a deep unnecessary breath, he shifted into a more relaxed position in the dark. It is like either he couldn't say it enough, either they were quick to forget. It was never about what he wanted.

By  [ NeoWorm ](https://www.deviantart.com/neoworm)

* * *


	54. Reboot

**-55-**

**Reboot**

* * *

**Rangiku Matsumoto**

Lieutenant of Squad Ten under Toshiro Hitsugaya

Goddess of Gotei 13

Communication Manager for the Shinigami Women's Association

Lover, Big Sister, and Friend

Her memory was a damaged hard drive that had known too many reboots.

* * *

Her precious memories were gathered in a treasure chest. The chest was fragile. It bore the marks, furrows, and scars of the multiple battles, the hundred violations, and betrayals, the young woman had to face over the years. She fought against the rest of the world, against the love she had for that guy. She fought against herself, overcoming her weaknesses. She fought like it was never enough.

She died.

She was revived.

By  [ Camomile1 ](https://www.deviantart.com/camomile1)

When he suddenly felt Rangiku's breath against his neck, Koshinko Geren froze. A cold chill ran through him just as swiftly. He looked down at his burden while continuing to run across the Garganta. He jumped through the interdimensional hole and fell nimbly in the middle of the Seireitei, not far from the barracks of the Second Division. In the distance, you could hear the explosions of the raging battle. While Ichinose Keikosuki's Bankai shattered like glass over them, he rushed up the stairs of the Sōkyoku Hills.

With the shinigami being occupied elsewhere, the way was clear. He zigzagged between the trees, getting closer to the meeting point.

His hands were burning hot. He opened his eyes wide and stopped dead, skidding on the sandy ground. Rangiku's grey purple aura enveloped them both. She suddenly arched in his arms, her chest rising and falling to the rhythm of her breathing. He was so surprised he could not brake and crashed into a tree, losing his cargo. He was on his back when he watched helplessly Matsumoto Rangiku's body flip back in the air. The woman landed with the grace of a cat goddess on her feet and knees, her eyes still closed.

He gasped. Rangiku looked up groggily, just as disoriented as he was.

"You…"

Her eyes shone bright like that of a feline for half a second. She closed her eyes again and frowned, shaken by the sudden return of her memories. A million thoughts currently collided in her mind at once.

_"Don't be afraid! We don't want to hurt you! We just want to talk! "_

_She stepped back and stumbled against the older boy's chest._

_"Enzoraki, my brother, catch her legs! "_

Trembling like a leaf, Rangiku had closed her eyes. She remained quiet. She did not care to pray or cry. Or shout. She only wanted one thing, that Gin finds her, that she finds Gin, that they find each other in whatever chronological order. When she opened her eyes, her damaged soul forgot everything. Everything but Gin. What he meant to her. She found Gin, Gin found her. It happened in whatever order, and someone answered her prayers. She did not care at the time what it cost her.

Weeks passed, she realized remembering past events got even more difficult. She knew it made Gin sad because then he would withdraw in a corner and stop talking. Months became years, and Gin changed. He often disappeared. He often abandoned her. Despite his promises, despite his lies, she continued to believe that he would return. Even when he told her that he was leaving for good to join the Shinigami Academy and that he would probably never return. She stupidly waited for him for two months. Then, she gathered her things and followed him blindly.

Rangiku opened her eyes and tried to accommodate to the light. The colors formed regular patterns, the stars, dots of lights, the air sizzled for a fraction of a second, signaling the proximity of a powerful reiatsu. Someone with white hair and a familiar reiatsu. Jū-chan. She watched his fight with two fraccions with indifference. She turned to Geren.

" Hey! Who are you? Don't answer that? That guy?! Where is he? Did he leave again?"

"You are alive? All this time, you were conscious?" Geren said, stunned. He slowly got back on his feet.

Rangiku frowned, feeling a headache coming. She closed her eyes again, momentarily, lost in another flashback. The scent of woods and frankincense. Loud screams. She was standing in a blue yukata, the breeze playing with her hair.

_"They are coming."_

_She turned, and sure enough, he stood by her side in similar clothing, grinning mischievously. She followed his gaze toward the distant mountain. He winked in her direction. At a reasonable distance as the crow flies, a crowd of villagers and monks marched toward the temple erected in the meadow, just at the foot of Mount Miroku. They were chanting and reciting sutras, breathing a new life in the quiet forest. The atmosphere was one of elation. The summer had been warm, and the harvest prolific._

_The earth started undulating under Rangiku and Gin's feet. He took a stance, readying himself, His skin draining itself of its colors, ink spilling in his left pupil._

_"Let's race. The last to make it is the God of Losers."_

_"Wait…"_

_Rangiku lifted her arms in the air slowly, describing circles, as her grey cloud formed around her. The cloud morphed into a grey cat made of ashes. She joined hands and breathed in and out. Gin looked at her prowess with pure wonder._

_The leaves turned into particles of reishi, the spirit-matter into clouds of ashes. They were floating in the air._

_"You've become quite good at this, Ran-chan."_

_"Well, I'm an excellent student, Sensei. Also, you share your soul with me, it really made everything easier. It was delicious." She said, her left eye colored with black ink. The left side of her face turned pasty white._

_He licked his lips._

_"You are delicious. All of what is mine should be yours. Yet, you are all mine from your soul to your heart. Who's the wealthiest? Or does that make me very greedy?"_

_He said, looking at her lovingly. The little girl shrugged with a blush. She clapped twice. The clouds compacted at once and enveloped her. Gin watched her "feed" with lust._

_She turned with a bright grin._

_"Nope, that makes you truly delicious, my love. I'm ready. I'm sorry. You will lose this time."_

_"I'm not gonna go easy on you simply because you're pretty when you smile. You're also pretty when you cry, Ran-chan. I will savor all your tears." He said, his eyes black like the night, his fangs sharp._

_"Promises. This sounds like promises… The only thing my spouse knows how to do. I am more the delivering kind. Watch me fly and prepare to cry."_

_She disappeared in an explosion of lights and smoke, her laughter ringing in the air hauntingly._

_Just where she stood, there was nothing but a crater._

_Gin couldn't help but laugh at her boldness. Honestly, there was never a challenge he was not ready to pick up, especially with Ran. Behind him, reality started to undulate again. He faded in a similar explosion of lights._

_She was flash-stepping in a forest, the trees around her just a blur. No, it was more like she would dance around the trees and zigzagged. He was faster than her. He's always been more rapid than her. Yet, she closed her eyes, and the world undulated around her. Denshi technique. The stroll. She was gone in a heartbeat. But he grabbed her hand anyway. Their essences entwined together on an atomic level, rendering her dizzy. Thunder rolled. Their mother, the Earth, growled. The children laughed in mischief as they play with the universe as their canvas._

_The crowd chanted fervently, bowing in front of the stone statue. They brought more food. They brought more flowers because they knew the little girl likes them. They bend in fervor. Soul Society's Earth started to shake violently, but instead of panicking, the crowd stood their ground. In an explosion of colors and lights, the two children reappeared on the top of the stairs. Gin stood on the roof of the temple. Rangiku stood regally on the edge of the stairs, her strawberry hair adorned with a crow of flowers left by the villagers she picked up on the altar behind him. She turned to Gin triumphantly. His jaw dropped comically._

_She outran him. How was that even possible?_

_"Looks like I'm the God of Losers now. You're…"_

_"The Goddess of Flowers. That's about right."_

_The villagers fell to their knees at the sight of them. They looked down placidly, navigating the sea of bland faces. Gin smiled mischievously, addressing the Monk._

_"Did you bring it?" He asked with a grin._

_With a plate of persimmons, the Monk started to climb the rocky stairs of the temple._

_"You can stop there."_

_Gin said. He faded to reappear in front of the Monk. The man fell ungraciously on his knees and bowed low, touching the ground._

_"Your Divine Grace…"_

_" Rise, loyal servant. Rise. I may have lost a race but not my pride."_

_The Monk did as he was told but kept his head low._

_" Please, your Magnificence. Accept these meager offerings, which are not a reflection of your grander and splendor. How can it be when you're the one commanding over life and death. You blessed us with the sun for our harvest. You made our children stronger."_

_Rangiku cleared her throat._

_"Your Grace, your innocent beauty is revered everywhere we go, your skin is like the crescent moon. Your kindness knows no boundaries."_

_Gin took a look at the basket offering. There was even a bit of smoked meat._

_"Your offerings have become sparse these days. Was the harvest not satisfying this year?" Gin asked._

_"It's not that… We are very grateful for your patronage. You are the sun and the light among us all. You are the water quenching our thirst… "_

_"Well, you don't sound too convincing when I see so little food." Gin remarked, counting again the fruits and vegetable baskets laid down on the side._

_"Gin… that's not very nice to say. Maybe that is all they have."_

_"My goddess is so kind. Her heart is so pure. We are blessed by her otherworldly presence."_

_She turned playfully toward Gin._

_"Did you hear that? He said my heart was pure. He said I have an otherworldly presence."_

_"Well, he obviously doesn't know how much of a pain you can be. I won't even tell him. I am magnanimous like that. But Ran-chan, you should know otherwordly is another word for alien and strange."_

_"It's not, is it? Don't answer that. Let's not listen to him, Monk. He is grouchy since he just lost a race. He also didn't have his full ration of dried persimmons yet."_

_The_

_"My Goddess. We will keep on making plenty. It's just there are these people… They claim to be the new authority. They made rules regarding offerings and…"_

_"The men in black." Ran said._

_"You know them?"_

_"One of them brought me here."_

_"Shinigamis. Death god is what they called themselves. They said they are mandated by the Soul King."_

_"That is a lie!" Gin snapped angrily. "The Soul King is dead."_

_"Gin?"_

_Gin frowned his expression, shifting in anger. Liquid black spilled in his eyes slowly._

_"Gin? How do you know that? Do you know who all these people are?" Rangiku asked._

_Gin turned to Rangiku slowly, confusing marring his features._

_"How? I don't know. He is just… I don't know how I know that! I don't know! I'm not happy with just this! This is not enough. I shelter the village. I protect you from the monster, and you bring me just this. What do you expect? Go! You all managed to offend me, traitors! Go away!"_

_He rushed inside the temple, slamming the door angrily behind him. The crowd jumped afraid at his sudden outburst. They immediately kneeled and started praying._

_"What a drama queen. Sorry, he didn't mean that. We appreciated the offerings. It's just a mood. It's going to pass. I thank you for coming. It made me so warm inside. Please come back next year." She said waving happily._

_When they all left, she joined Gin in the tiny temple. He was sitting next to a statue, sulking._

_"Are you crazy?"_

_"How dare you ask me that? You know they didn't do right by me… by us… I have a right to feel offended. How dare the shinigami interfere in our affairs? Who are they to say who should be honored or not?"_

_"Well, they represent the authority, and you're not really a god, Gin, that is also true!"_

_"Who said that? Who said they mean anything to the world? They're just people with reiatsu, dressing fancy in black and white. And who said I'm not a God? Who said that? They don't know that. They don't know me!"_

_"Well, It's just… Oh ! Gin! Don't be stubborn! You... You said this was a good way for us to get food to prepare for winter. You said this way everybody wins. You said who cares that we are not really gods. But you give these people a false sense of safety and you're exploiting their fears of hollow."_

_" I've been doing this forever. We've been doing this forever. It's not like we are lying. It's not like we don't protect them."_

_Ran made a face. They killed one hollow in two centuries. But Gin always had a way with words, sewing nets of truths and lies together was something of his specialty._

_"You, little traitor! It's not like that at all! Do you want to go back to starving to death?!"_

_Ran shook her head in horror._

_"I don't! Well, these people, most of them don't even have reiatsu. They don't need that much food! We're helping. They should be honored we're helping. Instead of being ungrateful!"_

_"They are not ungrateful, Gin."_

_"Less of them take part in the cult every year. We lost half of our subjects to civil war and disease… and other stupid rules… Their ranks depleting every year… They think they don't have to fear us. Who makes those stupid rules anyway? Soon, somebody's gonna ask me to go fetch my food myself. "_

_"Well, it's not like we can't. We have a home now."_

_"That's more like a hut. Let's not exaggerate!"_

_"To me, who never own anything, it's a castle. It's great! We could try growing some vegetables in the backyard. I know for a fact Gin would be a genius at it. We could build something stable. Settle down."_

_"Why? Why? You like traveling. We are free."_

_"The world is changing. There are a lot of bad people roaming the streets of Inuzuri and Kusajishi. They came at us holding torches and pitchforks. It's not like before. Times are changing, and we could still be free in our home. In order to depend less on adults, we could blend in. They are disappointing anyway. You said so yourself. Me. The only person I trust is Gin."_

_He tilted his head thoughtfully, and she knew the moment he was considering her proposals carefully. The rebellion left his expression, and he seemed lost in thoughts. She smiled. He frowned, remembering the Kusajishi ceremony had been interrupted by a group of crazy fanatics wanting to drink their blood._

_"Imagine not having to see them, not having to witness their cruelty, I'd like that too. Mortal souls, they're the cruelest because they have nothing to lose and everything to lose at the same time. They are so full of contradictions. That they fight it or not, they will die anyway." Gin said with a sneer._

_"I am mortal, too, am I not?"_

_He turned to look at her._

_"You're different."_

_"In what way?"_

_"You're mine. Not even death can do us apart." He said with a boyish grin, his pupils drowning in black ink._

She remembered the intensity of her feelings back then, of their mixed feelings, and she almost stumbled at the aching persistence of that memory. Rangiku held her throbbing head with tears in her eyes.

_"You're mine."_

Jerking her head back violently, she growled low as a tornado of spiritual pressure pushed against Geren.

"What's with all that reiatsu? You were just a corpse a minute ago?"

Her left pupil starting to fill with black. Blood was rushing in the thin veins of her face. Her very soul was starting to hurt. Her mind became blank. Her eyes rolled in their orbits. Gin. Where was he? Gin. She remembered not following the light. She remembered following him in the shadow. But then nothing…

She blinked twice. Rangiku looked around her quickly, feeling overwhelmed with dread. She turned to Geren. He seemed to have overcome his surprise and started to move toward her. Who was that guy again? Rangiku took a step back. She needed to run. Run away quickly. Danger. Mentally ordering her legs to move, she didn't move one iota. She concentrated and shivered when she finally felt electricity run through her legs. She groaned in pain. She had to move. The man stood over her and lean toward her shoulder. She recognized the uniform of the Onmitsukidō.

" I don't know what's wrong with you. Your reiatsu is all over the place."

Move. Come on, Rangiku! What happened? Move. Rangiku closed her eyes, trying to focus her energy. None of her muscles answered the call. What happened? How long was she asleep? She remembered like it was yesterday. Gin. Gin was dying by Aizen's hands and ... she had to use her bankai to save him. The last stage of her bankai. She opened her eyes again, swallowing hard as

Geren leaned close to her again, amused.

" Your value has just skyrocketed again. I know somebody who is going to be ecstatic to see you!"

Geren grabbed the young woman by the arm and unceremoniously pulled her to her feet. Rangiku uttered a strangled cry before slapping him with all her might. No matter how he wore the shinigami uniform. It did not take long for Rangiku to realize they were not on the same side. If the first slap had not shaken his resolve, the second had the merit of making him let go. Rangiku staggered backward mechanically, seeking her balance like an infant learning to walk. She concentrated on not falling and ended her run against a tree. There she caught her breath.

" Koshinko Geren? Third seat, Koshinko Geren of the second division? Is that right?"

She murmured. He smiled and made a short, mocking curtsy.

"Matsumoto Fuku-taicho. We could do this the easy way or the other not so pleasant way."

"What am I doing here?"

" What do you really want to know?"

He put his hands on his hips.

"Is the war not over? What's going on? Where am I? Where's Gin? Where's my captain?"

"We're in the epilogue, Sweetheart! War has never been so close to reach a final outcome. And this time, I believe the shinigami won't win. Aizen Sousuke will be released. It's inevitable. As for us, we are on the Sōkyoku hills. Enzo Weavorpine, one of the Primeros, working for Aizen Sousuke, asked me to kidnap you, and we are about to join him at the meeting point. He pretends he is an old friend of yours. I just don't care at this point."

" A Prim ... Primeros ... What?"

"Oh, I almost forgot! Hitsugaya Tōshirō is dead."

Rangiku blinked back the sudden tears in her eyes. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. Geren continued coldly.

"Yup, I stabbed him to death."

"What did you say?"

"Yes, you know how it is. Nothing personal. Gin Ichimaru is dead too. That was your boyfriend, right? Heard you guys had a passionate love affair. Well, I'm sorry about that. I am in no way responsible for that one. I don't have time to explain in detail. I don't know how you regained consciousness, princess. But I can assure you that you chose the wrong time to do it."

Her eyes shone bright again. She took a good breath. Tears gathered in her gray eyes like the clouds above her. It had started to rain over the bare tree forest of Sōkyoku Hill.

"You're lying…"

"Matsumoto, you must know deep down that you have no way out."

She searched immediately, not a way out, but the proof in the air that what he said about Toshiro or Gin was a lie. She took another step back, one hand on her heart. In the past, she could always say where he was at all times. She stared at a lonely leaf detaching from a tree and soaring in the sky.

**Audiomachine - Deceit and Betrayal**

A part of her always seemed to feel him wherever she was. Rangiku mechanically twisted her necklace between her fingers. But this part was currently silent, to say the least. Gin? She was hysterical internally, calling his name in her mind over and over. She watched the leaf flip lazily in the air. She blinked. She could have missed the leaf turning into a thousand pink cherry blossoms, the scent overpowering. She faced another memory of their never-ending chase.

_Gin was standing in his shinigami uniform, his back to her, the wind playing with his haori. She was breathless where she stood, from having to run after that man. An hour earlier, she went by his office in order to talk about the very concerning facts that in those uncertain times, where a ryoka was running wild in the Seireitei, that Toshiro and he found nothing better than to get at each other's throats the night before. Well, she intended to talk business. Protecting her captain was a lieutenant's duty. So, there she had an excuse. She had been wanting to ask him what he was thinking ever since it happened. But she didn't want Toshiro to know about this. So, she waited the late hours to infiltrate the third division and stumble upon him naked with Kira in office. That virtual uppercut was a wake-up call once again. She was such a fool. How many times does that man need to stab her heart for her to say enough?!_

_"Why are you following me? Leave me alone!" She said._

_"Well, you're the one who barged in uninvited. Poor Kira-kun is all flustered and all. Say next time can you knock? Give a poor guy committing a sin a warning?"_

_She turned and found unsurprisingly that he didn't look bothered or flustered at all. If anything he seemed to be mocking her._

_"How long has this been going on?"_

_He let out a quick laugh._

_"That's what you want to know?"_

_"Well…"_

_"I can't believe you, Ran. This isn't like you. I'm disappointed."_

_He turned to her, his eyes narrowing in mischief._

_"This is unlike me?! You have such audacity!"_

_Gin smiled crookedly and shrugged. He thought she looked gorgeous all angry and wrapped in a velvety curtain of dignity._

_"You know how it is. Not that I have to explain myself to you. It's not like you don't know this about me."_

_"Are you and Kira? Do you… Do you love him?" Her voice was hesitant again._

_Tilting his head to the side, he shrugged._

_"Don't say anything stupid."_

_"I saw you kissed him! Gin!"_

_"Well, really, you saw that much? What did it make you feel? Like you wanted to join… Tell me more, please." He teased._

_"You knew I was there. You did it anyway."_

_She shook her head._

_"How to explain how these things work, really?"_

_He leaned over her cruelly._

_"Where to start?" He added, playing with her necklace absentmindedly. Rangiku swallowed hard, suddenly lost in the contemplation of his grotesquely long fingers playing with her pendant, remembering when those fingers actually touched her skin. Could she really blame Kira? No. That couldn't be his fault at all. Instead, she slapped Gin Ichimaru so hard it drew blood. He didn't blink and continued to smirk. He simply licked it wiping the stain away with his thumb, seemingly challenging her to do it again._

_He grabbed her small wrist tight._

_"You saw me with Kira. What can I say? I hardly thought you would notice with you taking all these useless guys to your bed, Ran-chan? I'm glad you were not busy tonight."_

_"Who's jealous now? I thought we were not friends. I thought you didn't care."_

_Licking the inside of her wrist passionately, Gin shrugged again._

_"I don't care for your pitiful lays. I don't care that you follow me around like a pet. I don't. But darling I will never be your friend. We made other vows long ago."_

_Her eyes widened at his admission._

_"You are unbelievable. But yes, till death do us apart, they say." She retorted coldly, snatching her wrist free. She walked away._

_" Goodbye, Captain Ichimaru."_

_He snorted casually before he froze when he suddenly realized what she just said. What did she mean by that?_

_"You think this is a matter of time for you, don't you, pet?"_

_She stopped and turned, her arms crossed over her chest. He frowned._

_"You think it's just a matter of time before you will be free. Is that really what you thought just then?"_

_She avoided his gaze, shook her head sadly, and continued to retreat. He was before her, blocking her path in the blink of an eye._

_"Answer me."_

_"What do you want from me, Gin?" She said wearily._

_"Answer me."_

_"You want me to tell you… Yes, I believe I will be free. One day. Free. Of these feelings. Free from this torture. This long agony will have the sweetest ending. You know what will make it even more delicious. To know how much you will suffer then."_

_Rangiku was suddenly cold. It's not like she wasn't aware of the dissonance in her own feelings. How she could go from loving him so deeply to hating him! How they could spend so much time fighting each other and so little time actually loving each other! A lonely black tear was streaming down Gin Ichimaru's left cheek, his expression shifting with gravitas, his aura tinted with his anger. Around them, time seemed to freeze and the cherry blossoms had stopped in mid-air. Black ink spilled and drowned his eyelid, his face gradually returning to that of a monster. She recalled thinking bitterly, not really aware where they stood anymore with all the petals surrounding them as if shielding them from the rest of the world, that even the universe respected this guy's privacy when he cried. What about her heart? Maybe she was just as cruel as he was. Perhaps she was just as bad. She recalled licking her own lips as she brushed the tears away softly on his face. Her face was hard as stone. She was cold inside out. Delicious indeed. Remarkable without a doubt. The way his façade could fracture so quickly._

_"Death will do us apart, Gin."_

_His lips shivered almost imperceptibly at the thought. One day, she will vanish from his sight. It was his worst fear. A weakness he couldn't show the world. He shook his head slowly. His belligerent and rebellious soul wouldn't allow it. It was simple. Meanwhile, the innocence was back in his eyes, just like the vulnerability, and every fluctuating emotion he could not control._

_"You are immortal. I am not."_

_He blinked at her words. His mouth opened in a painful gasp. His jaw tightened again as he tried to digest what she just said. Did she realize what she just said? Did she?_

_He could have been slashed open and bleeding right in front of her, his organs spilling on the ground. It wouldn't have felt this vulnerable a moment._

_"What did you say? Do you know? Do you?"_

_She nodded. His hands were on her neck, pulling her closer, his breath warm on her lips._

_"Rangiku…"_

_"I am broken. I am not dead yet." She whispered against his lips._

_He could care less at this point where they were. He could care less. They were standing in the middle of the Sokyouku Hills Garden, where they could get caught any moment now, putting an abrupt end to the longest undercover operation in history. He brushed her lips with his and choked her a little. He could never let go of what was his._

" _You hate me now. You don't think I know that? But I'm sorry, Sweetheart, it's always going to be the two of us even when death does us apart. I won't ever let you rest in peace. You will never get to move on. It's going to be the two of us dancing around our issues till this land turned into a pile of dust in the mind of a lunatic. If I have my say… If my plan works… It will end on my terms. Without you not having to shed a tear. That was my promise to you that night."_

_"Gin."_

_"Cause you live in my soul. I live in yours. Forever."_

_"Gin…"_

_"You love me, Rangiku."_

_"I love you." She said, pulling in for a sudden deep kiss. She didn't even try to deny the truth. It was the roots of her misery, the love she had for him. She stopped herself short of swallowing right there, filled with even more disgust with herself._

_He simply smirked._

_"You must know you are here for me. That's what I believe. I wished it so. I wished to walk this earth with someone, and you sprang into existence, Rangiku. I will forget and forgive what you just said. It's the word of someone broken. I believe you also made a promise, remember? Even when you hate me, you shall believe in me. Believe I will never leave you behind, Rangiku. Never. Really."_

_Her voice was hoarse. She was crying._

_"What if I can't believe that anymore? You said you will be my husband, but you're never there. You promised once. Twice. Thousand times already. This story is five hundred years old. It keeps ending this way. The same way. With you leaving me. With me being broken. I am done."_

_His eyes snapped wide open again._

_"You remember us?"_

_Rangiku could not find the words. She shrugged, suddenly so confused._

_"I am done."_

_"You don't mean that. Answer the damn question, Rangiku. It could change everything. You remember us? You remember…"_

_She pushed him away from like it was a matter of life and death. She almost couldn't think when they were so close._

_"Nothing. I remember nothing. No. Not nothing actually. I remember this pain. This never-ending pain. My love for you. Every night, it turns into shame like cancer. Last night, you dared attack my captain and I… I almost let you get away with it! If I hadn't interrupted when I did, God knows what you would have done!"_

_He was out of his mind mad now._

_"Damn it Ran! I don't care about that! Tell me if you remember! Tell me what you remember!"_

_"I am tired! This is killing me! I cannot follow you in the shadows this time, Gin. If you ever attack my captain or hurt Kira purposefully. We won't be anything other than enemies. That is the updated state of our relationship. Goodbye."_

_"Rangiku."_

_"Enemies. Gin."_

_That would be her last warning. She faded using shunpo._

_"Tell me if you remember our life together. Please. Give me a reason to stop this." Gin whispered to no one in particular._

Back to the leaf, landing squarely on the steps of the hills.

 _"I'm glad I could apologize to you."_ She remembered him saying that on his death bed.

"He can't be dead. They can't be dead." Rangiku muttered to herself.

Geren approached her and opened his hand. Recognizing a piece of Toshiro's haori, she gasped, covering her mouth.

"Did you know that to prove the mission is completed, we have to bring back a souvenir? That's the way of the Onmitsukidō."

She closed her fists, her face laced with anger. Thinking she was about to try and strike him, he leaped away in anticipation.

"Look, I don't want to fight you, Matsumoto. In your state, it would be useless. I got a job to do. It's that simple. It's nothing personal. If I survive this, I can get to my daughter. I can find her. Maybe I can even convince these guys to give me back my wife! You, you have nothing more to lose, do you? Your beloved captain is dead. Your lover is dead. You could just give up and go back to be dead yourself."

Her sudden tears watered the ground. Her white yukata stood out from this apocalyptic decor. She tried to catch her breath and looked up at the sky. Geren reached out for her but she skidded back, nimbly. None of this could be true.

She remembered Gin. Gin knew Ran. As long as he knew her, Ran could never get lost. As long as she remembered him, she could live forever. She firmly nodded.

"Don't do that. Matsumoto Rangiku, you are too weak. You don't stand a chance just like your tiny captain."

Rangiku closed her fist, gathering her reiatsu in her ki.

"I see that you don't leave me with much choice."

The ground shook under their feet. Thunder roared in the distance. Her nose bled as her eyes became distant. Spreading open her hand, she stared intently as she gathered enough energy to materialize Haineko.

"The fuck you think you're doing?"

Steadily the blade materialized slowly in the palm of her hand.

 **"Haineko. Unare Haineko."** She said.

The blade instantly vaporized into a cloud of ashes. The fog enveloped Rangiku, almost lifting her from the ground, disintegrating three dead trees in its path. Pushed back two hundred yards further, Geren protected his face from the flying debris as well as he could. The twister embraced Rangiku. Her blank yukata gave way to her shinigami uniform. She had barely touched Haineko's hilt again that her zanpakutō exchanged memories of everything it had seen while she was asleep. Gin at her bedside after the war. Gin, escorted out of the room by the four captains. The multiple visits of her captain. Her abduction. The duel between Tōshirō and Gin. The temporary alliance between them, their separation, the meeting of Tōshirō with Enzo Weavorpine. At last, her captain's defeat against Geren Koshinko. His meeting with Haineko. Rangiku absorbed this knowledge in seconds. Her fist closed around the hilt firmly. The ghost of Haineko behind her let out a feline roar. Finally, the ash cloud was again sucked up inside the reconstituted blade.

When the smoke cleared, Geren realized Rangiku took advantage to break into shunpo. Rangiku was not crazy enough to imagine having a chance against Geren. She barely made it to the pine forest surrounding the hōgyoku hill that she felt her lungs on fire and her heart pounding in her chest. Her face covered in sweat, she continued to run until she had the unpleasant surprise of finding the third seat in front of her.

"You may be vice-captain. But I told you, you are not up to the task."

She dodged at the last minute his dagger and stepped back in time. He took one more step, dagger in hand. Instinctively, she countered with Haineko. He changed angles. She stooped, acting more out of survival instinct than strategy. Geren stabbed the tree been, which soon rotted, releasing hints of toxic smoke. Panting, she took another leap back.

"I don't know why you are so important to Enzo. I never could understand what people found so interesting about you."

Rangiku glided a few meters from the stairs.

"In my eyes, you look ordinary and plain vulgar."

That asshole! Unfortunately, Rangiku was too breathless to answer. She was already drained. Geren took the opportunity to catch her by the hair. She turned around, kicking his right side. Another round kick caught his chin. The burst of spiritual pressure the reunion with her zanpakutō gave her back the use of her legs. But no matter how many times she called Haineko internally, she couldn't trigger her Shikai. She resumed her mad race towards the stairs. But it was clear to Rangiku that she wouldn't go far like that. In one leap, he picked up speed again, and cut her off, his zanpakutō caressing her neck. Rangiku braked as best she could a few millimeters from Cain. She skidded gracefully enough out of reach. Unfortunately, he caught by her impossibly long hair. Grabbing her again by the back of the neck, he propelled them out of the clearing down the ruins of the pillars of Sōkyoku. She crashed loudly on the ground.

"We have arrived. Right on time."

Rangiku struggled and tried in vain to get rid of the hand on her neck. She looked up and froze. A whole part of the Seireitei was missing. Where the East gates of the Senkaimon stood, there was a large crater and ruins, ruins as far as his gaze could go. A new explosion shook the cliff. Something had just gone through the senkaimon and exploded there.

Something tore at her insides. A shiver ran through her neck. **Kono reiatsu da?** What was this reiatsu?

" You finally woke up, sweetie."

Geren let go at once. Her eyes shining in anger, Rangiku recognized that voice. Geren increased the pressure on her neck to force her to spin. She looked up at Enzo Weavorpine and almost wanted to puke at his creepy smile.

"And please, Matsumoto Rangiku, tell me that you remember Me? That you remember Us?"

Shedding tears uncontrollably, Rangiku shook her head, nervously up and down. The monster may have another face, but she would recognize that voice among all the others. She would always recognize the essence of evil.

"Don't ... Don't hurt me."

Enzo just reached out to grab her hair and bring her closer to him.

"That doesn't really depend on me."

* * *

**Enzo Weavorpine**

The enemy

Killed once by Gin Ichimaru

Formerly, he had had a Shinigami heart. At the time, it was already not the most altruistic of hearts, so people shouldn't question now his less-than-pure intentions.

* * *

Until that moment, he didn't know how much he and Gin looked alike. He didn't care to see the world ignite and burn. He was not human. Black tears dried on his cheeks at the loss of Barruk. He was not human, but he had felt the void left by Rigor's disappearance. He was not human. He had therefore gloated when he saw the bankai of that bitch Ichinose fall apart. He hoped that no name bitch died, and he would gladly be on his way to finishing the job if that wasn't the case. Until he noticed Geren's arrival, that is. Until he noticed that the shinigami truly managed the impossible and woke Rangiku Matsumoto up.

No, Enzo Weavorpine was not human. He was, therefore, positively ecstatic that this bitch would be awake when he turns her whole world upside down. More than anything in the world, he wanted her to feel the pain.

His spear wedged behind his neck nonchalantly, Enzo took a last look behind him. Zaraki Kenpachi still laid under the pile of rubble he personally buried him earlier. He noticed something moving resembling a pink cat, but Zaraki had not recovered from his last attack. How boring! He was just tired of this world. He was exhausted from having to fight against such weak and uncertain people! He faded in mid-flight to materialize above the Sōkyoku hill.

And in front of this new scene, he found something to smile about. Rangiku Fucking Matsumoto. The Flower girl. The ultimate wet dreams.

"You finally woke up."

He met his gaze, veiled in panic, and his smile increased. She looked so much prettier like this than she just laid there like an inanimate doll.

"And please, tell me that you remember Me? That you remember Us? Otherwise, I should refresh your memory ..."

She had to remember. He hadn't forgotten. She had been his last. How could he ever forget? She represented his old life.

"Don't ... Don't hurt me."

Enzo reached out to grab her hair and pulled her tight against his chest. At the same time, she represented nothing. Her life was so insignificant.

" That doesn't depend on me."

He remembered the way they surrounded this kid back in the day—child's play. Enzo looked at his roadmap and struck her name off the vice-captain's list. Today's harvest had been pretty good. They already crossed five people off the list and almost had enough to fill the little spiritual container. She was different, though. Her reiatsu was insanely potent for such a small and frail frame. He covered her mouth with an evil grin.

_"Don't be afraid! We don't want to hurt you! We just want to talk!" Bunrakkuken Izumo, his best friend, told the girl._

_She stepped back and bumped against Mizutani's chest, which completed their trio._

_"Enzoraki, my brother, catch her legs! "_

_"We don't have time, Bunra! Aizen-Fukutaicho is waiting for us."_

_He remembered saying._

_"She is so cute, though. Don't tell me you don't wanna taste. "_

_Bunra had always known how to appreciate the beauty in women. But far from appreciating the compliment, Rangiku tried to run. Mao frowned annoyingly. He disappeared to better materialize before her. He grabbed her by the neck to better lift her and pressed her small body against a tree. She gasped and screamed._

_He winced again, covering her mouth, stifling her cry with just one hand. The terror in her eyes was addictive._

_"Third seat of the fifth division of Gotei 13, Mao Enzoraki. They are my friends Bunrakukken Izumo and Mizutani Atsushi, the fifth and 8th seats, respectively. "_

_Rangiku let out a raspy moan again._

_" I explain to you. Our master sent us to look for reiatsu particles to feed his machine. If you behave, we will only take a little. But to be honest, whether I take your whole soul or not to put it in a jar, whether you disappear or not, does not matter. My master will make no difference. That you disappear from this world will make no difference, little one. "_

_She whimpered again. The other two came closer._

_"She's really so pretty, Enzo. "_

_Enzoraki nodded with a simple smile. He made a sign to his associates as he undid his Shihakusho._

_"Hold her arms. Bunra, you go first. "_

_Yes, the years had passed. But even in a new body, under a new name, Enzo could clearly remember the day, he had crossed Rangiku-chan's road for the first time. Their meeting seemed like to rush the end of his first life._

Her fear mixed with air was still the most wonderful scent. The creature grinned cruelly.

"See, I felt a little sad seeing all my comrades fall earlier. But the idea that I could spend the next century making you pay for it fills me with joy, Rangiku Matsumoto. What am I saying? A century? My impatient ass can't wait that long. You're going to die today, you filthy bitch."

A new Garganta opened behind him, and Loly and Menolly appeared with the transgression spellbook and Kīboruto.

"Where's Moon?" Geren asked.

"There was a small incident. She didn't make it. Sorry."

Lolly and Menoly exchanged a knowing look.

"It seems that things did not go smoothly here, either." They turned to the carnage.

Geren frowned. He finally realized that Barruk and Mortis were no more. He had just understood the ramifications of their deaths. Without Rigor Mortis, there was really no chance he could ever revive his wife. Without Barruk, finding his daughter, who didn't have a reiatsu, will be difficult.

Without looking away from his prey, Enzo ordered.

"Okay, Begin the ritual. Open the damn door. I'm in the mood for real chaos. Let's destroy this place!"

When no one moved around him, Enzo brutally pushed Rangiku back on her knees. He turned to Geren.

"What are you waiting for, shinigami?"

"I betrayed my own kind."

"And?"

He shrugged impatiently. It was a bit late for the shinigami to start having second thoughts.

"I…"

"Stop babbling? Who's gonna open the damn door?! Where's Archer?"

"I think he's dead."

"Fuck, I'm surrounded by incompetents. You two, open the door."

Loly and Menoly exchange another knowing glance. It didn't seem without risks.

" No ! Geren better do it. We don't know anything about Kido. You're the only shinigami we have on hand, the only one who can use Kīboruto!" Loly noted treacherously.

Enzo swirled his spear with agility above his head before pointing his end at the traitor's carotid artery. Geren took a step back.

"Let me explain to you..."

Rangiku remained frozen on her knees. It started to rain not only in her heart but above her head. Her eyes lost in the distance; she remained there, mourning for her lost innocence, mourning for her love, mourning for the guy who was always one step before her. She could almost picture him taunting her into chasing after him. Was he gone?

"It's very simple, actually. Either you have a utility, or you don't. Unnecessary things I will clean up, shinigami. Make a decision!"

Geren stared at the spear's blade that threatened his neck. He could fight. In fact, there were several options open to him. One of them was to fight. He could fight and die. He could try to regain his lost honor. He could do that ... and in the end ...

Geren reached out to Menoly without a word and retrieved the book of demonic transgression in her hands. He opened it slowly.

" I need… reiatsu."

"Well, that's the thing about incompetent people. They messed up the plan, so they get to eat shit and improvise."

"I could never open…"

"Show me you had it in you to be captain, please."

He turned to Rangiku with a devilish grin.

"I will just bleed this one like a goat as a sacrifice for you. See, I'm in a supportive mood."

Rangiku looked up slowly as if realizing where she was for the first time.

Geren nodded weakly, reading the book. He started reciting slowly.

"Barrier of Black... Five pillars of faith ... All the stars in the universe ... The Guardian of Jigoku ... Kneel down ... The universe bends under the fingers of the fiancée of the Old God."

A pentagon of light appeared on the ground. The cliff trembled.

"Army of Ghost ... Filters the light ... Sharpens the ice ... Moves the queen's sarcophagus."

Geren dropped the ritual book on the floor to join hands.

" **Kūkanten'imon Kaiko."**

Rangiku grabbed the earth with teary eyes. _Gin. In the end, I'm the only one hurting as always!_ She inhaled sharply again.

"You stupid coward! You good-for-nothing asshole! I hope you die!"

Surprised at her sudden outburst, Geren turned to Rangiku. The energy cylinder created in his hands went from yellowish to orange. He struggled for a few seconds to control it. His face oozing sweat, he let the cylinder grow between his fingers.

Far from being distracted, Menolly and Lolly approached the golden sphere of the energy cylinder concentrating all their wish on their reunion with Lord Aizen.

Rangiku struggled to stand up despite the rising level of spiritual pressure in the air.

" I'm ready. Enzo! Enzoraki! Whatever your name is!" Rangiku suddenly snapped.

Enzo rose an eyebrow at her challenging tone.

"The cat brought your tongue back. Sweet…"

"Shut up!"

Enzo's eyes narrowed in surprise. What did she just say? Fear had disappeared from her magnificent blue eyes. Her pupils were gleaming with a gold tint. What had happened to his magnificent doll?

Rangiku started to walk toward him.

"How dare you call yourself Shinigami, Geren? If you can't even sacrifice yourself for those, who are most dear to you? What the fuck is it you fight for?"

Geren lowered his head, his hands trembling. Tears began to pile up in his eyes. He sniffed loudly.

Enzo changed the direction of his weapon, holding Rangiku back at her reasonable distance.

"So, you want a victim. You want a whimpering girl, is that it? I've been cowardly in the past because I didn't want to give up on Gin. I was dumb enough to think that will make him stay. I wanted to forget and run away. I don't even know what it is I wanted. But it's over today. I am no longer a little girl. "

Rangiku materialized her katana in front of her in an offensive position.

"I'm going to fight with everything I have ..."

Enzo frowned, His left eyebrows ticking frantically. What? She stopped inches from him and smiled.

"I forgot about you. I wanted to forget you so badly. I forgot even who I was because of you. But that's okay, got me a one of a kind fail-safe. The undying kind. A lifeline. His kind of destructive love. Something even better than a memory. I'm Rangiku Matsumoto. I was born the day I met Ichimaru Gin. I met him twice. I died a couple of times just like you. I became shinigami because it was his choice. But I became vice-captain of the tenth division of my own volition with the idea of sending rotten things like you to hell. No matter your name, no matter who you think you are, you were nothing at the time, monster. I forgot you in a blink."

She laughed.

"I Forgot your face. Forgot your scent. Forgot that creepy smile. It's kinda cute the way you're looking at me right now, searching for recognition. I know that look. Gin Ichimaru gave me that look so many times. I am sad I couldn't even indulge him. You? You're just a footnote in my story trying so hard to be an exclamation point. I should as well erase you altogether, don't you agree? Make some room for good and important memories. What do you say?"

Enzo shook wildly, struggling to unleash his wrath. In an unprecedented move, Enzo let his emotion Rise to the surface. A wave of reiatsu shook the hill. He growled like a wounded beast.

Behind them, a vertical line divided the sky and the horizon. Kīboruto rose into the atmosphere. The sphere engaged in an imaginary slot while turning counterclockwise, and the gates of Muken appeared in the sky.

By  [ NeoWorm ](https://www.deviantart.com/neoworm)


	55. Thick Skin

-56-

**Thick Skin**

* * *

**Koshinko Geren**

3rd seat of the Second Division under the orders of Soi Fon

Leader of the Onmitsukidō

Director of the penitentiary unit "The Maggot's Nest"

Traitor

Snakes always concealed their cowardice behind a rich set of values until the day the ultimate sacrifice is asked of them. Then they disappeared, leaving their skins behind.

* * *

_"You stupid coward! You good-for-nothing asshole! I hope you die!"_

**Shizen - Skydancer (Epic Dark Dramatic Orchestral)**

As soon as Geren started the incantation, he knew he just made the biggest mistake in his life, and Rangiku Matsumoto was right. The words were slow to form, his intonation was hesitant, but the atmosphere immediately started undulated. The words echoed in his head even before they came out of him. He was no longer reading that book. He was being possessed by it. His wrists were sliced open magically and with his blood flowing out of him, he kept chanting. He realized what had not taken long to others to realize. He was not worthy of being a shinigami. He had never been. This had never been his calling. There was a reason he failed so many times the captain exam. How remarkable was the Captain Commander for him to easily notice those undesirable traits in Geren when the latter was so late to come to a realization!? He had a dark profound abyss as a heart, something forged in scraps of iron and fear, and filled with greed and nothing else. People always knew how to read him which was a pity for the leader of the Onmitsukidō. Knocking on death's doors and finding clarity never got such clear meaning. He was aware there would be no turning back. He was aware his own blood was spilling into the spell.

How could he have fallen so low? He cried out as the cylinder greedily absorbed between his fingers his energy. But it was not so much about the pain than the realization he had nothing left to lose. He had nothing left. No title ... No ambition ... No status ... No Family ... No Honor ... Did he love his wife and daughter enough to sacrifice himself to save them? Probably not.

How did individuals like Gin Ichimaru, Aizen Sousuke, Mayuri Kurotsuchi manage to succeed where Geren had always failed? It was simple. They all had at least one of these things.

Geren tried to move his hands away and break the spell. He wanted to stop everything and turn back. He should never have followed the Primeros in their evil plan. He should never have touched the book of demonic transgression. Could you believe this whole mess was his idea? He could not. The sphere voraciously absorbed his reiatsu and blood before rising into the sky.

Oh no, what had he done?

A vertical line divided the cloudy blue sky in two. **Kiborutō,** the key to the abyssal vaults, slowly rose in the atmosphere. The pressure increased tenfold, and Geren was forced to kneel, the gravity suddenly unbearable. Where did all that spiritual pressure come from? He was currently choking on it, powerless as he watched it divide the atmosphere. He didn't see the hundreds of souls snatched in the premise of their lives to compensate for his lack of reiatsu. Seated officers. Most of them. They disintegrated in one instant.

"Vice-Captain, he is over there!" The seventh seat of the second division, Segi Harada yelled to Marechiyo Ōmaeda. The officers all gathered toward the execution site of the Sōkyoku hills.

Omaeda saw the danger only too late.

His Captain had asked him one thing. Find the traitor. Omaeda was only too aware that he failed her before. He entrusted Geren too much. He gave him too long of a leash. He bought into his bullshit and cost his Captain to lose face. Omaeda wasn't generally a thrill-seeker. He preferred to stay away from the battle, especially when it was way out of his league. He knew to be cautious. However, boring the responsibility for most of what happened with Geren, he wouldn't be a man if he didn't try to atone for his sins. So, he was the first on the scene with Harada Segi and Rin Bumi, his seventh and fifth seat. He stared eyes wide as he noticed a figure standing next to the leader of the Primeros.

"Matsumoto Rangiku." He breathed. His immediate thought was that he also needed to rescue her.

It was like the scratching of nails on a board. The sight of the lieutenant of the tenth standing there was easily enough to make his hair stand. Yet, it wasn't just Matsumoto. It was also the suddenly insane amount of pressure in the air. He realized he couldn't breathe only too late. He realized he was suddenly exhausted beyond what was humanly possible to endure. Grabbing his own throat, he was choking, his tongue wagging in the air desperately. His eyes turned blood red with petechiae. He turned to Segi in panic. But the two officers were in even worse shape than him. That thing was eating at their souls, absorbing their reiatsu greedily. He looked at the cylinder Geren was holding, the gravity tearing at his skin. Shit! It was the last words that came to his mind as he realized he was going to die an ugly death. The tearing of flesh was only unbearable for a couple of seconds before he dissolved on the ground in a gory puddle of flesh.

It made a zipping round noise like the beginning of a Cero blast before Kiborutō detonated in the sky as if Someone in Heaven was protesting the aggression. How dare the commoners summoned the Guardians. The strike of light absorbed everything on its path. Trees. Omaeda and his officers. Soldiers running in disarray. Geren looked up, blood seeping through all his orifices. The shadowy figure of his wife and daughter stood but a few feet from him, vanishing slowly like a distant memory. Tears blurred his vision. had he done?

The air undulated dizzily. Thunder roared again. Jolts of electricity lit the atmosphere on fire.

Far from there, in the royal chamber, eyes What feral and avid with greed opened slowly in the dark, strange shadows playing in the white inhuman pupil. It contemplated the gem of gems, mesmerized by the glorious luminescence of The Mother of all Sacred Things, the Spirit God. A kneeling shadow appeared on the wall mirroring Geren's position in the Seireitei. He could taste his sacrifice from here. White fangs smiled at this well-orchestrated bloodshed. The Architect of all things smiled proudly. We were almost to the good part. It was in his nature to birth wonders from chaos, and chaos from wonders. Little people they were, short-sighted, born with little or no ambition, born without a purpose. They were not worthy of his attention. Not worthy of what he was doing for them. Yet, he was dedicated to the task, and we were almost to the good part.

Kirio was outside the Royal Chamber, her eyes fixated worriedly on the shaking double doors. She called for the Servants, grim skeletal ghosts, to remain in formation behind her.

Izayoi stood on the Bridge, overseeing the mechanism in the "Factory." Below, it was equal to Christmas rush with thousands of souls with bland faces converging on the speed walk toward the light. They were crawling like parasites. Reini gasped when she noticed a bland soul was not walking, seemingly staring at Izayoi in the opposite direction. The princess paused, then frowned. It wasn't staring. It couldn't be staring. That was impossible. Empty soul about to be processed couldn't stare without a will of any kind. It's not like the souls entering the Factory were not ripe for transition, empty of memories or purpose, not yet sentient, not yet ready to see the world with new eyes. She leaned carefully over the balcony, mesmerized. This thing with dead eyes was looking at her. It's like it wanted to speak. It's like it knew what it was. Blasphemy!

"Kaikoroku."

**"At your service, Reini."**

" Why is that thing standing there?"

**"I do not understand your question. Can you reformulate? How can I help you?"**

"There's something there. Something is stuck. Something is staring back at me."

**"We do not understand your question. How can I help you?"**

Reini's face morphed in disgust, twisting her neck, her fangs suddenly showing.

"It's absolutely disgusting. Freeze all machines."

In a weird metallic noise, the mechanism seemed to come to a screeching halt with all the bland, empty souls standing on the unmoving speedwalk.

Reini faded to reappear, walking among the packed crowd of souls. She literally pushed and shoved everything out of her way. Mesmerized that the soul would continue to stare at her, she just couldn't let it go. What are you? She was fighting her way toward it in a sea of blank souls. It was standing looking straight at her. The more she came closer, the more she could distinguish its unique feature. Silver hair. Bony features. Sharp gaze. Eyes like shards of glass.

"You are not… You cannot be... What are you doing here? How did you get here? No…Ikki, is that you?"

Tears gathered in her eyes like an infinite waterfall of sadness. She caught herself shivering with fright. **_I don't have the luxury of having someone I care about. Someone precious like that. Thanks to the rampant greed turned into a raging tumor that is your family._** The empress swallowed hard.

**_"Izayoi, you are the moon. Ikki is the canvas I made to support your beauty. You two, my children should support each other till the end of time."_ **

"What am I saying? What's wrong with me? Get a grip on yourself. It's like I'm going mad. Kaikoroku, there is an anomaly in line 30 sector 20B. Do you see it? I want you to discard it immediately."

"There is no anomaly registered with those coordinates. As you know, in the absence of a registered anomaly, we can only act on the whole line of production. Do you want to discard the whole line? It is comprised of 9700 souls. Can you confirm you want to discard the whole line?"

"It's impossible… Impossible. I am facing it. It's staring… It's looking at me. It's like it has a mind of its own. It's not dead."

"A thousand nanosecond before we reach the Cycle's critical jamming limit. Can you confirm you want to discard the whole line?"

"It's staring at me. Like it's alive and mocking me!"

She stared at the ghost who looked a hundred percent like the one she lost.

"Scan this area for a Kaiju intrusion, Kaikoroku."

"A Kaiju intrusion? All registered Kaijū of this universe are reported and accounted for."

"Please do this for me…"

Before she could finish her sentence, something moved behind her.

"Gin."

It was only a soft whisper carried in the air. Yet Izayoi jumped startled, unsheathing the dagger she always kept concealed in her garment.

"Who said that?" Stupefied, she watched another soul behind her ran in the wrong direction. She turned to the original problem, except he was gone. She tried to make her way across the crowd. Where was he? But both souls were gone without a trace as if they vanished into thin air.

**"60 seconds left."**

She jumped on the sideline, away from the factory line, shaking. Whatever it was, they were gone. Wasn't it all that matter? It made no sense. They were gone.

"Recount the lot immediately, Kaikoroku.

" **The lot is comprised of 9698 souls. Anomaly detected. Sources unknown. Reality engine compromised."**

"See… I was not dreaming."

" **Reini, awaiting your order."**

" Kaikoroku, push the cycle speed to 200% of its capacity like Reiichi wanted. It should compensate for any time. Start the process again."

**" Very well. Cycle pushed to 150% and gradually rising. The result of the Kaiju scan is back. Two residual spiritual prints were found, one belongs to Izayoi, second member of the Zero Squad, the other's provenance is unknown."**

**_Someone tampered with the reality engine. I don't have the luxury of having someone like that._ **

Izayoi simply shook her head, black tears streaming down her cheek, as her skin became translucent. Impossible. It was impossible. He was gone. He was gone. She bent over suddenly, overwhelmed with pain. She shouldn't let something like hope deceive her, turned her resolve into whimpers of despair. It was just a trick of the mind. A trick of his. It was just… She crawled on her knees, dissolving into tears, whimpering and moaning like a wounded beast.

Like her spider crawling at the back of his neck, her sudden pain rolled over him like a sharp cutting wave of ice. It chilled him to the bone. Reiichi struggled to stand for a second, his hand grabbing the command control tight. A thousand screens were showing different events happening simultaneously. Kuchiki Byakuya, head of one of the Four Noble Family, holding Tadashi's girl close after the girl literally ransacked the Seireitei with her bankai. Matsumoto Rangiku waking up. Izayoi's crying on the floor. He stared at his shaking hand and fixed the Factory feed, watching the one he was supposed to care about unfold before him. His red eye burned with passion.

Suddenly the ground shook violently beneath him, making his chair sway from left to right. He closed his eyes.

" Kaikoroku, has it started yet?"

**"If you're referring to the breach of Muken, yes, it started."**

He turned toward the screen on the left. Kakira was seen dashing through the corridor of Muken. He was suddenly invaded with doubts. Can she really do this? Worse. He paused and wondered how fair it was that the child had to be the one to do this.

Menoly and Lolly were holding hands while facing Jūshirō Ukitake.

"That's it! It's working!" Menoly yelled while trying to dodge Sōgyo no Kotowari. The battle was even fiercer now that the stakes had become so high.

The sphere engaged in an imaginary slot while turning counterclockwise. The key turned in the lock in an excruciating noise. The air was no more than a compact mass of spiritual pressure, threatening to kill every unseated soldier on the spot with its toxicity.

While Unohana was evacuating Byakuya and Keikosuki and their lieutenants. Shunsui ordered every unseated soldiers' immediate withdrawals from the battlefield. Sasakibe seconded him. This glorious carnage was just about to get worse. Shunsui froze suddenly when he saw Nanao helping two soldiers to their feet.

"Nanao! I told you to stay in Karakura!"

"Don't be unreasonable, Captain. The soldiers need to move! You cannot do that while fighting to save all our skins. Hey! You! Where you're going? Not that way! Move! Move back! That way!" She roared to a couple of disoriented soldiers.

"This is dangerous, Nanao."

She spun around to face him, giving him one of her signature sharp looks, adjusting her glasses.

"Do you think I'm on a tourist visa here?! What are you doing not trying to close that door!"

She pointed at the sky. Sure enough, the square was moving, and the doors of Muken began to appear, adorned with giant skeletons, sealed by about twenty chains with gigantic rings. Fuck! Shunsui cursed under his breath.

"How do we close that? Captain!"

Shunsui gritted his teeth as a vertical line formed in the sky. To answer her question frankly, he had no fucking clue.

"Well…"

"Well…"

" Once completely open, we cannot close that, Nanao. We're screwed. I mean… I don't even know… We need to stop this guy right now, but I don't even know how to do that." Shunsui turned and looked at her, suddenly serious. "I told you to stay away."

"Captain…"

"I've only seen this happen once. When Sōjun Kuchiki opened that door to save his moronic best friend. But it was Sōjun Fucking Kuchiki! The kid was a fucking outstanding necromancer compared to this guy. "

Nanao frowned.

"Sōjun Kuchiki…Isn't he?"

He nodded.

"Byakuya's rebellious punk of a father. You got that right."

"Rebellious… Punk."

Shunsui smiled.

"He was also our student. They were both our students, Jūshirō and I... This sucks!"

Shunsui shook his head clear of the fond memories, clear of the nostalgia of simpler times.

"But even Sōjun knew, he wasn't going to live long after pulling such a stunt."

Nanao gasped.

"Who touches that book, Nanao, is… going to Hell literally."

"But Sōjun Kuchiki died later… On the battlefield… Fighting someone named…"

"Yamada Kai. He died fighting Ichinose's deceased first love. But what those books got wrong was that he was dead ever since that day. He had been dead all along. He only survived in appearance because of his nobility. But he had lost most of his powers using that spell. Yet, that punk didn't tell a soul because of something sharp and cutting like Pride. This thing forever changed him and stole his future. He was never the same. But that guy, Geren, isn't even half of Sōjun Kuchiki. Kuchiki was the heir of one of the fourth noble houses. Geren is a third seat stuck somewhere between mediocre and terrible. He is gonna kill us all."

He pointed at Geren's figure standing on the edge of the Sokyouku hills, dangerously unleashing a massive amount of spiritual power.

"Does Captain Kuchiki know about this?"

Shunsui shook his head.

"His grandfather wanted to raise him with the idea of an irreproachable dad. As if there was great value in being born from a Saint. It's something about the Pride of a Kuchiki. So, I don't think they had this conversation yet. Byakuya was really young when it happened. He probably doesn't remember. It doesn't matter."

Nanao nodded. He didn't need to tell her it was a secret that should remain between them for her to understand.

"So, the moral of the story is we're probably all gonna die today."

"Not you, if you'd listen to your Captain. You'd be cozy somewhere drinking tea."

"Waiting for the world to end somewhere… sounds fun, Taicho."

"Nanao…"

"I wouldn't want to stand anywhere if it's not by your side." She said, adjusting her glasses.

"You're a cruel woman."

"No, shit! Taicho, you just figure that one out didn't you?!"

"If only I got my hand on a replica on this book. There must be something inside I could try."

Nanao smiled.

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" She said, getting a high-end tablet out of nowhere.

"What is that? It's the digital catalog of the Seireitei library."

"Huh?"

"Do you remember approving the Gutenberg program four years ago? You know the one I kept bashing your head about?"

"What?"

She continued to tap eagerly on the device screens.

"No. Right, you were drunk that day. I took my chances in case something like that happens. I digitally scan all the books in our library, even the forbidden collection. I did it myself whenever I got time to spare. You can never be too cautious."

" You mean to tell me you got an actual copy of that book on that thing."

"I am so fucking amazing I shouldn't die today. I'm too amazing to die." Nanao shrugged as she showed him.

"Password?"

"IttybittybikinilivesinMaui. Here, Captain. Put your little hand here, and I will put mine. Five Kido seals+ dual fingerprints authentication. Like I said, you can never be too careful with these things."

Nanao looked up suddenly aware her Captain hadn't said a word in a long time. Yet, his mouth was gaping open like he was dying to say something. He was staring at her with lovey-dovey eyes, the gross kind, the "big red hearts pumping from joy" kind.

"Don't say it. Don't you dare say it! Don't you…"

He grinned like a fool, his lips in her heart-shape.

"I love you, Nanao-chan."

She dropped the tablet in his hands.

"Screw you, Captain! That's harassment! I will file a suit against you as soon as this is over."

"When this is over, we're going to make sweet love you and me."

"I'm not listening. Now let me do my best while you turned yourself into a goddamn hero. If they tell me you slacked off on the job, Taicho, Spirit King help me, I will hunt you down and kill you."

She said with a crooked smile. He turned to Nanao with half a grin.

"Stay alive, Fukutaicho. That's my final order."

She nodded and leaped into shunpo immediately. Shunsui sobered quickly. Well, it wasn't going to be easy. He grunted before fading. Another day at work, was it?

Geren had to be stopped. Someone had to stop this?! Help! Geren tried again to break the spell in vain. He tried to close his mouth, stop the spell flow, but his lips kept moving, kept pouring the words despite himself. He was nailed to the ground in a position of repentance while Kīboruto did what it had been summoned to do.

In front of this apocalyptic scene, Lolly and Menoly held hands, tears in their eyes. What beauty in this world! If only Aizen-sama could see that! Wait, he was gonna see it soon!

The cliff shook wildly, and several plots collapsed. Rangiku slipped back and avoided Enzo's spear by an inch. It got stuck in the ground just between her feet. She rolled back acrobatically out of reach, realizing she lost Haineko in her escape. Enzo whirled Jikanakuma over his head, laughing maniacally. Rangiku rolled forward breathlessly to catch her zanpakutō back and countered. He gave another hit, slashing the arm that was holding Haineko. She cried out, her face grimacing in pain. Before he could stab her again, she evaded quickly. He swirled the spear in the air before catching it nimbly. Rangiku did not avoid it this time, and Jikanakuma cut her flesh again.

A spray of blood washed over the loose soil, and Rangiku stepped back, her legs shaky. She tried not to moan and contain the sudden pain.

A hiss in the sky.

The chains of the hellish doors broke one by one in a metallic thud. If Geren wanted to break the spell and stop this heresy, his hands were forever tied around that box. He couldn't undo what had been done.

A new chain broke, dangerously sheared the air, and tore off the first floors of the first Tower of Penance. The tower collapsed in a deafening sound of metals and rocks. Another chain fell back into the courtyard of the first division, crushing all the balconies in its path. Kīboruto continued to turn more beautifully, drawing on the resources of the necromancer that summoned her.

"Make it stop! Please!"

With his knees nailed to the ground, Geren looked up. Unbeknownst to him, someone was about to answer his call. A veil of panic darkens his eyes, though. A golden missile was aimed straight at him. With trembling lips, Geren thought he was witnessing his imminent death. So, he screamed. The ensuing explosion painted the Seireitei yellow. A cloud of smoke fell over the cliff. It was not long before it dissipated under the downpour.

"Jakuhō Raikōben."

Boom. Soi Fon was dragging her bankai with difficulty. Boom. The Captain of the second division looked positively furious. Omaeda, the fuck was that hasty exit, you lazy fucker? The downpour redoubled. It was raining now. She hated Rain. That treacherous asshole was about to taste the depth of her wrath. Geren's mistake just cost three actually loyal soldiers.

Soaked from head to toe, Soi Fon continued to progress toward the epicenter. Geren opened his eyes. He had been protected by the magic of Kīboruto's barrier.

"Taicho!" He yelled.

Soi fon frowned. How dare this stray dog call her Captain? The audacity of this treacherous motherfucker knew no fucking end! He dared call her so colloquially after what he'd done? She really was gonna annihilate him! She growled with rage.

"Third seat of the second division, leader of the Onmitsukidō, Geren Koshinko, you are hereby placed under arrest! I, Soi Fon, Captain of the second division, release you from your duties and return you to civilian life effective immediately. For betraying the Gotei 13, kidnapping a ranked officer, and conspiring with the enemy, the price to pay is death. You will die from my hands today."

Soi fon pointed Jakuhō Raikōben toward him again and fired. The missile broke on the shield of kido magic. A reiatsu spiral drove the smoke away. Unfortunately, Soi Fon had been blown away by the blast against a range of trees.

"You can't do it that way! The spell is already underway! A hojo spell cannot be interrupted. Kīboruto will protect his spiritual vessel until the completion of the ritual. Let me lend you a hand, Soi Fon-Taicho." Manatsu Dengeki shouted. "I will try to tie his spiritual pressure from a distance!"

Geren's silhouette stood out from the cloud of smoke. Manatsu clasped her hands and recited quickly.

"Ring of fire. The wolf howls. The arrow enters the heart. Tremble and tie the throat of the whistler. **Bakudo no hachijû Roku, Ryūketsunōkami [1]"**

A light seal marked Geren like a tattoo. The spell glued together his eyelids and lips. Its reiatsu greatly diminished, the sphere turned with less power. The lock mechanism stopped with a metallic grunt. Thus, the doors remained closed a little longer. She folded her fingers to start tying it with the 99th Bakudo, Bankin. But before she could pronounce the incantation, Manatsu was pierced by a spear. With one hand, Enzo had impaled her, with the other, he held Rangiku by her blond mane.

"Stop ignoring me, people! I'm the main character in this Tragedy! Don't interfere!" He groaned before laughing.

Manatsu spat blood in the air. Her shihakusho turned even darker. Enzo retracted Jikanakuma with a smile. He let go of Rangiku. She rolled several times towards the end of the shaky cliff. With bloody lips, Manatsu turned to face her opponent.

**" Hado no Sanjû ichi, Shakkohou. [2]"**

Manatsu released the red orb generated by the palm of his hand on the Primeros, which spun Jikanakuma in front of him to absorb the shock. She clasped her hands again.

**" Bakudo no Rokujû ni, Hyapporankan. [3]"**

In the same spirit, she generated a bluish tube of energy which she threw on the Primeros. The cylinder duplicated a dozen times before hitting its target, pinning it to the ground. Immobilized, Enzo was at her mercy.

**"Hado no Hachijû Hachi, Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō [4]"**

It fired without incantation a tremendous amount of electricity and reiatsu, which swept everything in its path to its target.

"You are too slow !" Enzo whispered in her ear.

He was behind her. She didn't know how he got rid of Hyapporankan so quickly or even how he got behind her without her seeing him coming, but he was there. Enzo materialized with a sly smile. He impaled her again, lifting her into the air as if she was just a piece of meat. Manatsu struggled and only succeeded in sliding off the spear and falling heavily on the ground.

His binding tattoo was gone, and Geren gasped quickly. He tried to sit up. He could do nothing, though. He was compelled by an unknown force to start chanting again. In front of him, Kiborutō, the devil's instrument, began to rotate again in the inter-dimensional lock. He gasped. The doors continued to open, slowly breaking its chains. There were only thirteen left.

They whipped the air with a frightening hiss, doing untold damages as they rained on the Seireitei. On his knees, Geren continued to agonize over what he'd done over the choices he made.

* * *

**Enzo Weavorpine**

Primeros n°3

The enemy

He confessed he did steal a sizable part of that girl's soul. Yet, he advocated that he only acted in retaliation and that it was Rangiku who had dispossessed him first.

* * *

**Desolation - Tom Player**

Enzo kicked the body of the Captain of the third division with his foot dejectedly. The young woman rolled on herself and hurtled down the slope quickly until she stopped on her stomach, face in the mud. He turned his attention back to Rangiku with a grim determination. Time to end this.

She was gone.

Where had she gone to hide? Did she think that will stop him?

Two new chains gave way, and the metallic hinges of the door started to squeak loudly. Behind him, the falling chains were doing untold damages in the landscape, only desolation, and destruction.

Enzo looked for Rangiku, scanning the whole cliff. Geren was still doing penance with that Soi Fon bitch trying to take him down and failing… And Rangiku ... Rangiku was nowhere in sight. Nope! She was there!

"Here you are at last! I was looking for you!"

He frowned. Rangiku stepped back, near the edge of the precipice.

"What are you doing?"

Rangiku looked down at the sandy ground getting darker and darker under her. She held onto her slashed left arm, trying to catch her face. Her face was tight in anguish and pain, she looked haunted. She could not feel him. Ever since she woke up, she couldn't feel him. Blood was spilling on the ground as she stepped hesitantly, searching for a sign, searching for a way to reassure her panicking heart. Gin couldn't be just dead. He couldn't just go without her. He couldn't have just abandoned her here. She was standing wobblily on her feet trying to catch her breath, her lips a hint purple from the lack of oxygen. _I'm glad I said I was sorry._

"What have you ever won, Mao Enzoraki? That's your name, right? So what? Do you think Aizen respected you so much he turned you into a monster? You are a buffoon. You were always a clown. You could say he even had a strong sense of humor, making sure you had a buffoon face, didn't he ?! Aizen only turned you into a monster because you were convenient. Now you're following his sick plan obediently."

"You think Aizen did this to me? You think he turned me like that?! You are so naive, sweetheart! No, the one who did this to me... The one who made me a monster. It's Gin Ichimaru!"

Rangiku blinked in surprise, she remained silent.

"Your dear lover is a murderer. The worst murderer I know. Without faith or law... He is a ruthless predator. He is the King of the monsters! Aizen doesn't hold a candle to him in the realm of making other people's life miserable!"

Rangiku clasped the pendant of his necklace in one hand.

"Gin?"

"Shortly after our little meeting ... Shortly… That's a point of view. Twenty-five years after we met. He's a patient one. Someone who can definitely hold a grudge… Gin Ichimaru set a trap for a whole unit of the fifth division. The monster ... The real monster is him. I'm telling you! He tortured my men and me until daybreak. Aizen… Aizen saved us. He kept us alive with his first version of the Hōgyoku. Of course, the result was not perfect. I lost much of my charm, Barruk too. Rigor, there was not much going on before then, there was even less after. Nevertheless, we survived. Without Aizen, we would have died like dogs at the hands of a little cherub.

" Gin did that… He killed you."

"The Gin you love so much, little doll. He abandoned you and betrayed you. He did things that I can't even repeat. He had his tongue so far up Aizen's ass that we were forbidden to touch him or take revenge for almost a century. You should hate him as much as I do ..."

"Hate Gin …"

Enzo savored the hesitation on the young woman's face for a few seconds. Finally, Rangiku looked up, unable to keep up the charade any longer and laughed wholeheartedly.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Why are you making this so easy, you punk!"

"He is!" Enzo growled.

"So you were that guy he killed. I have to ask again. So what? I was still at the academy when it happened. I never knew why he did that. I resented him for years. I truly thought he was a heartless monster, and I was so ashamed. So, I'm not going to gloat. Must have been awful dying from his hands. He was always very meticulous. Was he meticulous that day? Did he take his time? Oh, sorry, that's me gloating a little! Sorry!"

"You think this is funny, you stupid bitch?"

"I don't think this is funny. I think this is freaking hilarious! That you think I don't know all that. That you think I don't know Gin. Don't make me laugh. I married the man. Not once. But twice. I would marry him again and again like it's an afterthought like I am possessed. So I know him. I know him better than anyone."

Enzo's eyes widened.

"You think that I did not see the blood on his clothes all those years or that I did not distinguish the lies in his promises. Gin. He stepped on so many lives because of his strong beliefs. He was always so stubborn. My Gin was an early genius. He knew everything about everything. At least he was convinced he did. And he knew how to take advantage of the flaws of this world better than anyone I know. I'm telling you. He had never been content to just understand the world, he harnessed it in his strong, fierce grip to make it work as he pleased like he was born to rule. He could hold grudges for centuries. So true! I'm not surprised. We once got in an argument. It took me an eternity to apologize. Despite his easy grin, I'm sure he is still holding it against me. I also remember he always hated authority. That's why I could never believe his allegiance for Aizen. It was so weird! Gin was a liar. He always promised that he would never abandon me, and the minute I did not pay attention, he would disappear. Just like now… I close my eyes just a minute, and when I wake up, that frustrated man is nowhere in sight. Gin is mostly an assassin. He always managed to kill my one and only hope. He shot me point blank so many times, left me on the road to find help. Never got back. Ask Kira Izuru. He shot all the people who loved him and who he loved back, point-blank. But Hey! He also did incredible things like killing vermins like you… so slow, you guys, would remember the name of the person whose life you ruined in your next life. My name. My name, you whisper when you're scared, isn't that right? My recognition you seek! Fool! You will own neither. Your life means nothing. You threw it all away because of the way you lived it."

She finished, breathless. She gave a quick peek behind her.

"Of course, you don't understand what that means, monster. It means… It means my husband deserves my undying love and freaking loyalty. He deserves a fucking medal! It means ... It simply means: Get lost!"

Rangiku backed into the void. Enzo remained frozen. The doors behind him continued to open.

By  [ PioDanilo ](https://www.deviantart.com/piodanilo)

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Bakudo no Hachijû rokû: Ryūketsunōkami. Way of Binding n ° 86: The bloody wolf.
> 
> [2] Hado no Sanjû ichi: Shakkohou. Way of destruction n° 31: Red light cannon
> 
> [3] Bakudo no Rokujû ni, Hyapporankan. Way of binding n ° 62: 100 steps barrier
> 
> [4] Hado no Hachijû Hachi, Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō. Way of destruction n ° 88: Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon.


	56. Riding Clouds

-57-

**Riding clouds**

****

* * *

**Rangiku Matsumoto**

Vice-captain of the tenth division under the orders of Hitsugaya Tōshirō.

Friend of Kira Izuru, Shuhei Hisagi, Nanao Ise, and Renji Abarai

Event Manager of the Shinigami Women's Association

Goddess of Gotei 13

She was always in control of her appearances and her exits; she had had a wonderful teacher.

* * *

Omaeda Fukutaicho had just died. Protecting her eyes from the blaring lights, Matsumoto gasped loudly as she fell on her knees. She was suddenly breathless. What's with the intensity in the air? Enzo had released her to go and fight against a shinigami she did not know. She should have been relieved. She knew she should have been. But when she recognized the Haori of the third division captain on that woman, dark thoughts started racing through her again. Did things change that much while she was asleep? She stood up groggily meanwhile pondering not for the first time how long she had slept? She retrieved Haineko from the floor and started to run, limping away as fast as she could.

**"Hado no Hachijû Hachi, Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō."**

Rangiku dared not turn around. She was propelled forward by the simple force of the blast, brutally crashing further. Who was that woman to launch **Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raiho** , the 88th way of destruction without any incantation with enough power to sweep the edge of the cliff and the left column of the old Sōkyoku? Finally, Rangiku turned around just as Enzo had materialized behind the new captain. Whoever she was, she was no match. That beast was already on her, stabbing her sadistically. Rangiku bolted again, trying to get to safe grounds. Failing miserably as she stumbled on the increasingly shaky grounds, her arms flailing in the air. She grabbed the feet of the pillar, steadying herself.

She wanted to cry at her own ineptness. She glided forward and fell again face first. She looked down at her seemingly twisted ankle with a grimace. Well, she did choose the perfect timing to play the newly awaken sleeping beauty. Good job, Rangiku! She looked behind her in horror. The Seireitei below was covered by a veil of flames and smoke. It looked nothing like the Seireitei she knew.

"Too slow."

Enzo impaled Dengeki on his spear with extreme savagery and lifted her into the air like a trophy.

At this very moment, Rangiku realized that there was no way she could win this battle. She was so weak that she could not even call on her Shikai, so exhausted she wanted to lay down and go to sleep. Enzo was only having fun with her. He was only toying with her. It was as if that's all she ever did with that guy. Be his perfect little victim. When she was so much more… When she had been so much more… Her eyes filled with unwanted tears. It didn't matter now.

What good was it to flee? She would not go far in her condition. The Seireitei was succumbing to chaos. She looked up at the drawn gates in the sky. What about this thing? She was not even going to ask what that was all about. This problem was clearly out of her league. Everywhere she looked, she was met with a scene of chaos. Every particle in the air sizzled with electricity. A bead of sweat glued her uneven locks on her forehead. Hitsugaya-taicho. She couldn't feel him **. They are dead. He is dead.** She had to remind herself. Help wasn't coming, it seems. A chain broke in thousand pieces making such a racket, Rangiku had to cover her bleeding ears. She stared as it crashed on what was left of the third division. **Kira.** _Was he okay?_

Her heart was beating wildly in her chest as it was raining where she stood. Gin's ghostly face appeared to her grinning mischievously. She remembered tiny insignificant details about his features. His eyes constantly narrowed to slits, rarely ever open enough to reveal their bright sky blue-color—his constant smirk. **_I honestly don't remember a time you were not in my life, Ran-chan. How long has it been? Come, Ran-chan. I'm disappointed. You should have held onto me a little longer. Rangiku-San, Shuhei-san helped you a lot. But you have to do it yourself. Iba-San is right. It is never good to rely too much on one's natural charms to advance in life. You can do a lot better. Start again. You love me, Rangiku_** _. I love you, Gin. **You want me.** I want you, Gin **. Come to me.** I am so torn inside. Please come back! Please! Where are you? **I'm right by your side.** You left again! **I will never leave you, I promise.** Liar. **Cause you live in my soul. I live in yours. Forever.**_

**Bleach OST - On The Precipe Of Defeat**

The noise that the captain of the third division had made upon hitting the ground was simply disgusting. She remembered Gin lying on the ground after Aizen tore his right arm, his life already slipping away. Rangiku thought of the sickening noise her own body must have made in the past after they stripped her of reiatsu. After they stripped her of a part of her soul. She realized her chest was aching now because of how empty she suddenly felt. It all became clear then. What was missing… She turned toward Geren. **_Your lover is dead._**

She watched the ghost of Gin fade and gasped.

_Sweetheart, it's always going to be the two of us even when death does us apart. I won't ever let you rest in peace. You don't get to move on._

It was clear as crystal. He was gone. He really left. He really left her this time. She should have been prepared. But he didn't say goodbye. Trying to stifle her heavy moans with both hands, she howled in a silent cry. She wanted to crawl. She wanted to be buried. She wanted this pain to stop. She knew perfectly about this feeling. This emptiness… She knew how it felt when your inner world was imploding, trying to find its missing spark. She knew how it felt to be a victim of Fate. The chaos surrounding her now. This was nothing. She was empty. Her cries were hollow and silent. She wanted quiet. She wanted peace. She wanted him. She was silently crying.

**_Cause I live in your soul. You live in mine. Forever._ **

**__ **

**_ By  [ SmartChocoBear ](https://www.deviantart.com/smartchocobear) _ **

The rain stopped. Rangiku's sobs stopped just as abruptly as she recalled her time when they were both a bit more careless.

_It was way past noon when Gin started to fidget on the porch._

_"It's a beautiful day to ride the clouds. Let's go, I will teach you." He said, squeezing her puffy cheeks in the palms of his hand._

_"What? You can do that? I can do that? We can do that?"_

_"Well, I'm not positive we can, but it will sure be fun to try. What's the worse that can happen, really?"_

_That wasn't exactly the reassurance she needed. Gin winked at her, looking every bit like someone desperate for trouble. She couldn't help giggling. He was so cute when he was conspiring to do something possibly forbidden._

_"The clouds? In the sky?"_

_"Yup." He nodded again._

_It's not like she didn't know he was crazy before. Since she met him, they did so many weird things together, including killing a hollow and pretending to be gods ruling over the realms. Her life hadn't known a second of respite ever since she met that little guy. She started to climb the mountain after him, following as he dashed through the forest._

_"I fell from the sky once, Gin. I'm not really comfortable with the idea of doing it again. Sorry!" She said sweetly._

_She positively killed him with all the sweetness in her voice. Yet, he wasn't about to let her get away, striking her forehead playfully twice with two fingers, eliciting a groan from her._

_"Don't be a chicken. You never fell from the sky quite like this. It's going to be tons of fun. Not just anybody can ride the clouds. It takes special skills to do it. It takes courage! A certain amount of bravery!"_

_"You mean only crazy people do it!"_

_"Exactly!"_

_"Who taught you?"_

_"I taught myself, of course."_

_Gin shrugged proudly. Truth be told, he had no idea. That's why he seemed thoughtful for a minute trying to remember but then shrugged again, realizing it was answer enough he knew he was up to it. But if anything, all that didn't convince a young Rangiku to go and risk her sweet afterlife._

_"I should have known not to take you seriously." She pouted._

_"Rangiku…"_

_"I'm not going to blindly trust you and jump off a cliff. People can't ride clouds. I don't wanna die doing something silly I was not created to do." Ran said and waved goodbye, finishing her last piece of onigiri in one gulp. She headed toward their hut. He was quick to grab her._

_"You were created for me. Didn't you say you would do anything for me?" He said._

_She nodded reluctantly._

" _Didn't you promise to be my one and only sweet little partner-in-crime till the end of times? Didn't you say we will always be together?"_

_She stood defiantly, one hand on her hips._

_"How long is that gonna be? When I said yes, I didn't imagine you will always pull that card and corner me into doing your bidding." She grumbled._

_"Well, you should have seen it coming, I'm devious. Everybody knows I'm devious. I'm the Son of One big bad man, the God of Mischiefs, who once proclaims by Royal Decree that it's never too late in the day to do something he wants."_

_"Do something you want? By Royal Decree? What a joke! Gin, you're not even the King!"_

_"King is dead! Long live the King! Don't you know this saying? I could be the King if I wanted to. Anybody could be the King. You could be, but you will have to beat me first to it. You're so pretty. You could be my Queen, though. I will cherish you till the end of time."_

_"No way! The King is not dead! I heard he lives in a palace far away!"_

_"Who told you that lie?"_

_"Some women at the market. They say the shinigami work for him. They wouldn't work for him if he was dead, right?"_

_Gin crossed his arm over his chest, a bit irritated when she countered one of his most outlandish claims with pure logic._

_"Like I said before I was rudely interrupted, it's never too late in the day to do something I want! Come, I will show you." He simply said._

_Moments later, Rangiku was staring at the precipice, unconvinced. They were so high she could actually see some heavy curtains of clouds draping the mountain's flanks. Why did she always listen to that guy?_

_"Riding clouds, you say? Sounds like a death wish to me." She noted._

_He grinned even more. She was so clever._

_"Precisely. How did you know?"_

_"Will it be dangerous?"_

_"Extremely. That could be it… The end. Yet, I feel you need to know about this in case we got separated. Plus, someone told me once you always need a contingency plan. That's our contingency plan, Ran-chan."_

_"Contingency plan? Why would we need one?"_

_"Aren't we asking a lot of questions today?"_

Two new chains gave way, a wave of reiatsu rushed into the Seireitei. The air sizzled around her. Rangiku stepped back. Geren, still prostrated on the ground, staring at his work with bulging eyes, looking every bit like a mad man.

Rangiku blinked slowly, trying to remember more.

 **This battle would not be won without sacrifice.** She turned again. The ghost of Gin nodded beside her. He smiled faintly.

**_Sacrifice? How dare you even ask? You don't understand, Ran-chan. There is nothing I am unprepared to sacrifice for your sake, including you. The truth is I will sacrifice you in a heartbeat if it means saving your smile. How is that me being selfish? How is that me being bad? How is the world going to judge me for it? And even if they are, I don't care for the world. I just care about you. No, the question is… What are you willing to sacrifice for me?"_ **

Enzo looked for her anxiously. When he finally spotted her standing next to the ten-foot pole, he grinned from ear to ear.

"Here you are at last! I was looking for you!"

Rangiku stepped closer to the edge and peeked. Centuries ago, a very young Rangiku looked at the precipice before her just as worriedly.

_"What are we doing?"_

_"Remember what I taught you about the three basic movements."_

_She nodded._

_"I will ask again, Sensei. What are we doing? I'm scared."_

_"It's basically the same principle. It's like a displacement technique but on another level. We call it a Transition of the Soul. Denshi is the Displacement technique used to move your body across dimensions. It's better than shunpo, which only used gravity and reiatsu to move your body. But a Transition technique is you moving your consciousness. It's you moving your soul. It's a way to move it against the Current, against the Tide, against the big turning wheel. If you do it efficiently, you can go back into your body before its disintegration."_

_Rangiku shook her head stubbornly._

_"I know I can do it. I made a few calculations considering your soul morphology. I guess it can be achieved, but it will be sensibly different for you. Your soul is programmed to die. You have to give it what it wants."_

_"Sounds complicated already. I give up."_

_Gin slapped his face in mock annoyance. She was that type of bad students._

_"Listen, carefully… Souls follow the cycle. Most of them unaware of the invisible wheel turning in that cold empty place called…"_

_"Called…"_

_"Let's say the Factory."_

_"Gin!" She snapped, offended. He was pulling details out of his head again. What a liar!_

_"This doesn't make any sense…"_

_"Except it does. Inside the cycle, there is the current. It is like a wave, compulsion, a metaphysical injunction for the souls to go a certain way at a certain pace."_

_"Did you just made that up?"_

_" I can see the wheel Ran."_

_She said nothing and watched the clouds, trying to focus, trying to see that stupid wheel he was talking about._

_"Huh? I can't see anything. I can't even see past the clouds. I think it's not a good idea."_

_" Ran, I could always see the wheel for as long as I could remember, and the tiny souls going forward in the veiny **tunnels of light, the flow uninterrupted. It is almost alive. It feeds off the energy of all those tiny souls. It uses that energy to engineer every little thing surrounding us. The trees and the leaves on the tree, the stars** in the sky, the rain, the snow you see. Everything wanes and dies and goes back into the cycle."_

_He said, his eyes gleaming gold._

_"Gin… " She whispered._

_"There are a couple more dimensions like this one. Some places…are worse than here. Some places are better. Each are like sockets of new lives for the tiny souls transitioning… "_

_"Transitioning…"_

_"Like I said, we also call it dying."_

_"You're scaring me."_

_"But it's not dying, really… Death is a very manageable condition if you think about it, for you at least. Isn't that wonderful news? I mean, if you know what I know, you can totally cheat the mechanism behind it."_

_"The mechanism…"_

_"Yes, a fail-safe… so the wheel never stops turning…So the cycle can be pushed. I mean, it would be bad if it stops turning…"_

_"Bad…"_

_"Like the 'end of this universe' bad, I mean."_

_"You sound crazy. Can we go down now?"_

_" Souls… Mortals souls…. They die… They go there, unaware they got a previous life, unaware they lived and loved people and settled… Unaware that all these sections and all these dimensions are just training fields for the Elysium."_

_"The Elysium…"_

_"The real deal. Every soul are programmed to wish for it."_

_"Programmed?"_

_"Yes, like when something is ingrained in you, and you are mostly unaware of it. You are compelled by some invisible power to do something, the same way you're compelled to breathe."_

_"Who did that? Who is forcing these people?"_

_"Don't know! Somebody with a lot of time on their hands obviously."_

_"Why would somebody do that?"_

_"Don't know. Don't care. Focus. I was saying the Elysium fields. The world you come from… The living world. It's the first world. The world you are all dying to go back to. It's the starting point and the ending at the same time. The best time of your life."_

_"I come from the…"_

_"You were born, and you died once. You remember?" He said, looking at her._

_"I died…"_

_"Maybe you don't remember. It's better not to remember. I don't remember my own story. I can relate. But one day, you will probably go back there, trapped in the current."_

_Rangiku frowned._

_"Do you know what happened to me?"_

_Gin looked at her and then avoided her gaze._

_"You were burned alive as a child with your cat. Killed by your father, who was a waste of a human being, you haunted the whole village for a century. You took the life of every man that ventured too close to the ruins of your house. You became like a goddess of vengeance… almost turning into a rare Menos Clara, a class 5 baby hollow. You would have been magnificent in your primitive form. A shinigami had to ruin it all. But, that's how I met you again."_

_He grinned in amusement before seeing the frown on her face. She stared wide-eyed at him._

_"I mean, obviously, that's cruel a fate. "_

_"Why?"_

_"Why what?"_

_"Why did I die?"_

_Sobering up a little, he pointed at her heart._

_"Your soul keeps asking why. That is what immature souls do. They questioned everything. Your soul is pure. Newly created souls usually are. They are rare too… Not yet washed away by destiny. Not yet neutralized by Fate. That's what… makes it precious… That's why your soul has so much potential to it." He trailed off, frowning in concentration._

_"Huh? You know this because…"_

" _I can see you at… all the time… I think I saw you when I didn't even know you. I know it doesn't make sense. But it's like I saw your birth. Your true birth."_

_"My birth…"_

_"Yes, it's like you were made for me. It feels like that. Even with my eyes closed, I can see every bit of you, and it is beautiful and complexed and layered, molded to perfection, Rangiku. That is why you are mine. You have this default ability. Your spiritual pressure is increased tenfold by your anger and your sufferings. That is so rare. You have so much of it inside of you. You have this big, tender, fluffy heart. It melts under my tongue like the seven letters of your name. The fearless me is actually scared that one day you will be swept in the current, and I can't find you, my jewel."_

_Rangiku blushed again. Gin grabbed her moist palm in his hand again._

_"Cloud riding. This is something you need to learn. If we do get separated, if you find yourself in mortal danger, and you know I can't come to you in time, you need to know you can cheat death. You need to know you can push back against the wheel. I mean, avoid the most horrible aspect of it, the dispossession of your memory integrity, the cleansing of your will, "the rebooting" part. You can do that and deceive the spinning wheel of destiny. So, the current doesn't have any effect on you. It's the fourth movement. The most important of all. The most difficult to learn. You remember I taught you about the three other movements."_

_"Falling, Landing, and Strolling… and now… Riding…"_

_"Good girl, if you do that, it will take me some time, maybe an eternity, but I'm confident I can find you… I can find you in the Factory, for example. In the Factory, time doesn't matter. It will be different, you see. That's perfect, actually. It's decided. It will be our meeting point. Every time you get lost, you have to wait for me there."_

_Rangiku sighed._

_"It's not something you just invented, is it?"_

_He shook his head._

_"How do you know all that? The truth?"_

_"I don't recall completely, but I think I've seen it already… I've seen the Factory. I know how it all works."_

_"But if I do that, if it's like you said and I can't see you anymore, it's no good." Big fat tears were obscuring her view. She sobbed._

_"It's only if we get separated…"_

_"But I don't want that."_

_"Don't cry, Ran-chan. If anything happens, I will find you… I will always find you wherever you are. It's just in case… I need you to be brave. I need you to do this for me. Are you ready to learn? I need you to learn and never forget, Ran-chan. Write it in soul if you must. Never forget the fourth movement. "_

_She took a moment to wipe her tears, sniffed loudly, then nodded reluctantly._

Back in the present, Rangiku faced Enzo, her eyes gleaming gold for a quick second. From time to time, she would peek over her shoulder at the precipice behind her.

"What have you ever won, Mao Enzoraki? Do you think Aizen respected you so much he turned you into a monster? You are a buffoon. You were always a clown. You could say he even had a sense of humor making sure you had a buffoon face, didn't he?! Aizen only turned you into a monster because you were convenient and now you're following obediently like a good pet."

"You think Aizen did this to me? You think he turned me like that?! You are so naive, sweetheart! No, the one who did this to me... The one who made me a monster. It's Gin Ichimaru!"

Rangiku blinked in surprise, she remained silent.

"Your dear lover is a murderer. The worst murderer I know without faith or law. He does not know pity. He is ruthless. He is the King of monsters! Aizen doesn't hold a candle to him in the realm of making other people's life miserable!"

Rangiku clasped the pendant of his necklace in one hand.

"Gin?"

"Gin?"

"Shortly after our little meeting ... Shortly… That's a point of view. Twenty-five years after we met. He's a patient one. Someone who can definitely hold a grudge… Gin Ichimaru set a trap for a whole unit of the fifth division. The monster ... The real monster is him. I'm telling you! He tortured my men and me until daybreak. Aizen… Aizen saved us. He kept us alive with his first version of the Hōgyoku. Of course, the result was not perfect. I lost much of my charm, Barruk too. Rigor, there was not much going on before then. There was even less after. Nevertheless, we survived. Without Aizen, we would have died like dogs at the hands of a little cherub.

" Gin did that… He killed you."

"The Gin you love so much, little doll. He abandoned you and betrayed you. He did things that I can't even repeat. He had his tongue so far up Aizen's ass that we were forbidden to touch him or take revenge for almost a century. You should hate him as much as I do ..."

"Hate Gin …"

Enzo savored the hesitation on the young woman's face for a few seconds. Finally, Rangiku looked up, unable to keep up the charade any longer and laughed wholeheartedly.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Why are you making this so easy, you punk!"

"He is a Monster !" Enzo growled.

"So you were that guy he killed. I have to ask again. So what? I was still at the academy when it happened. I never knew why he did that. I resented him for years. I truly thought he was a heartless monster, and I was so ashamed. So, I'm not going to gloat. Must have been awful dying by his hands. He was always very meticulous. Was he meticulous that day? Did he take his time? Oh, sorry, that's me gloating a little! Sorry!"

"You think this is funny, you stupid bitch?"

"I don't think this is funny. I think this is freaking hilarious! That you think I don't know all that. That you think I don't know Gin. Don't make me laugh. I married the man. Not once. But twice. I would marry him again and again, like it's an afterthought, like I am possessed. So I know him. I know him better than anyone."

Enzo's eyes widened.

"You think that I did not see the blood on his clothes all those years or that I did not distinguish the lies in his promises. Gin. He stepped on so many lives because of his strong beliefs. He was always so stubborn. My Gin was an early genius. He knew everything about everything. At least he was convinced he did. And he knew how to take advantage of the flaws of this world better than anyone I know. I'm telling you. He had never been content to just understand the world, he harnessed it in his strong, fierce grip to make it work as he pleased like he was born to rule. He could hold grudges for centuries. So true! I'm not surprised. We once got into an argument. It took me an eternity to apologize. Despite his easy grin, I'm sure he is still holding it against me. I also remember he always hated authority. That's why I could never believe his allegiance for Aizen. It was so weird! Gin was a liar. He always promised that he would never abandon me, and the minute I did not pay attention, he would disappear. Just like now… I close my eyes just a minute, and when I wake up, that frustrated man is nowhere in sight. Gin is mostly an assassin. He always managed to kill my one and only hope. He shot me point blank so many times, left me on the road to find help. Never got back. Ask Kira Izuru. He shot all the people who loved him and who he loved back, point-blank. But Hey! He also did incredible things like killing vermins like you… so slow, you guys, would remember the name of the person whose life you ruined in your next life. My name. My name, you whisper when you're scared, isn't that right? My recognition you seek! Fool! You will own neither. Your life means nothing. You threw it all away because of the way you lived it."

She finished, breathless, slashing both her wrists with Haineko. She was suddenly so exhausted.

"Of course, you don't understand what that means, monster. It means… It means my husband deserves my undying love and freaking loyalty. He deserves a fucking medal! It means ... It simply means: Get lost!"

 _Gin._ **Think.** _I'm coming **. I live in your soul. You live in mine.**_ **Think harder. Focus.** _Find. Him_. **Focus.** **Let go. Believe. Master. Conquer.** **Ride.** Rangiku opened her slashed arms spraying the ground with her blood. **_Anchor yourself in the place you will leave your body._ _Sanctify the ground beneath your feet._ Nothing should grow from it. Not even Despair. **_Nothing shall grow on this unholy ground._ She closed her eyes. **Focus.** She took one deep breath before releasing it, her blood forming her dark circle around her. A tornado of spiritual pressure rocked the edge where she stood. The earth collapsed beneath her feet. She backed into the void.

Enzo remained frozen. What?

_What would Gin have said? If the onlenemy is in the crushing of your spirit, to win the battle, it is enough to remove your heart from the equation. If you take your heart out of the equation, its gain will be zero. Rangiku let out a little sneer. The reason Gin Ichimaru never lost a fight was probably that he never put his heart in the balance. What irony!_

At soon as she backed away into space, her heart was enveloped with levity. She didn't even feel the rush of blood toward her wrists. She simply soared with invisible wings, jumping into the unknown, welcoming the darkness, embracing it.

She opened her eyes suddenly.

Her mind went bland.

Everything went white.

So many clouds. **It was a congregation of clouds compact, full, and cottony. It felt like she was just gliding through it.** As if her soul was just being gently held by them, sliding through them. It felt like a shot of adrenaline directly in her heart. It felt so good. So sensationally good.

She smiled.

She smiled just before impact.

Shaking like a leaf, Enzo approached the edge slowly. He half expected her to not be there. But she was down the hills, her body slammed into a deadly pile of rocks. It all exploded on impact. A cloud of smoke rose in the air where she laid. Enzo took a very much unneeded breath. He blinked slowly. She wasn't moving, her chest was still, her eyes were glazed over, her mouth was slightly open. Thoughts were racing in Enzo's brain. The chaos became internal. _She couldn't. She didn't. This couldn't be the end._ _He didn't get his revenge. He didn't get to see them begged for their lives. He lost everything. This wasn't fair._ He frowned, trying to concentrate. His hands were shaking despite him. _That bitch!_

Enzo kept staring. He kept hoping this was all a sick joke, and she would stop playing dead, despite the fact he couldn't feel her reiatsu anymore. It took another broken chain, the thunder rolling above his head, and the sickening sight of her still corpse to pull him out of the trance he was.

* * *

**Nanao Ise**

Vice-captain of the eight Division under Shunsui Kyouraku

Vice-President of the Shinigami Women Association  
Head of the Ise Clan

Rangiku Matsumoto's best friend

She imagined her reunion with Rangiku would have involved Saké, Fundoshi, and drunkard tears, not a mini apocalypse to serve as background.

* * *

BY  [ StingCunha ](https://www.deviantart.com/stingcunha)

"Get back, idiot! Run! Run! Evacuate now!"

She was doing her best to shunpo her way through the collapsing Seireitei. She would be lying if she said she knew where she was.

A broken chain atomized the building before her forcing her to brake and almost crash in a wall. As she got back on her feet, she heard a moan. She jumped on the last standing pillar to see if there were any survivors inside the building.

Nanao was surprised to see her president, Yachiru Kusajishi, trying to move one of the giant rings of chains who just collapsed. The iron was still seemingly hot and steamy from their fall in the atmosphere. But Yachiru didn't care, and she was trying with all her might to move the chain away.

"Yachiru-chan?"

Yachiru grunted with teary eyes, her hands scorched and bloodied.

"He's under… I need to… I will… Ah!"

"Who's under…"

"Who?!"

Yachiru snapped almost incensed, her eyes flashing pink.

"Ken-chan, who else? Damn it! Damn it! I can't move it! I didn't have time to move him when that thing collapse on us. What the hell is happening?"

"You shouldn't curse, Yachiru-chan?"

"Why are you still standing, lazy bum?"

Nanao nodded, realizing she was right. Rolling her sleeves, she jumped on the pile of debris carefully and try to search for Kenpachi-taicho.

"We got to evacuate. When that door opens, the difference in spiritual pressure will be unbearable."

"Hello! It's already a disaster! Looks like Omaeda didn't make it!"

Nanao nodded. She also felt that. She started to dig and push the rocks and debris away.

"It's okay. We're gonna find Kenpachi."

"I know that. I'm not leaving without him."

"What happened?"

"He lost against that treacherous coward. That Primeros used his dirty tricks. Ken-chan didn't see it coming. I told him to be careful. You know him. He's never reasonable when he finds a worthy opponent."

The little girl bit her lips sadly.

"Come on, help. Let's use kido. We're going to levitate those blocks away."

Nanao clapped her hands at once and started binding her fingers together.

"Bakudo no ni-jū, Kuma no Ashi."

The chain slowly started to rise along with all the rocks. Nanao groaned and grimaced in pain as she tried to lift that thing. But despite its size, the chain seemed to weigh a ton. Yachiru didn't waste any time and started to dig harder until she screamed with joy.

"I found him."

"Quick! I'm not gonna be able to hold this thing up for long!" She grunted, gritting her teeth.

Yachiru pulled with all her strength, holding Kenpachi by his collar. She pulled so much she went crashing in the nearest pile with an unconscious Kenpachi rolling on her.

Nanao let go with a heavy sigh. The chain crashed back on the ground at once. Nanao stumbled backward, holding herself against a broken wall. She tried to catch her breath.

"You need to take him to the back-up site; you will find Unohana."

Without a word, Yachiru nodded. The little girl lifted her captain above her head and disappeared in a shunpo. Nanao gasped as she moved. She realized she was bleeding. A flying wooden nail had pierced her left flank when she let go of that boulder. She was wiping away the blood when she heard a strange familiar noise in the air. It wasn't the creek of another ring falling. It was like a singular quick laugh. She turned toward the Sokyoku hill.

Noticing a familiar curvy figure, strawberry hair flying in disarray, standing on the edge, she gasped. Ran.

No.

Who's that with you? She recognized the leader of the Primeros. Ran yelled something to him before spreading her arms, the hills seemingly collapsed under her feet, or she backed away. Nanao never really knew. If she was asked, she could only report that an angel took flight. Nanao teleported as fast as she could, but it was still too late. She walked slowly as the smoke cleared, and Rangiku's body laid in full view, her hair spilled about under her like a crown, blood tainting her beautiful mane and dripping on the floor.

The earth shook again. Nanao stood to watch over her friend, uncaring another piece of Muken had fallen into their backyard. Shakily, she brushed Rangiku's forehead ever so slowly, probably thinking she may not be real, being sadly disappointed that she was touching cold skin. She gasped again like a wounded beast. She looked up and stared straight into Enzo's cold eyes with hate. She lowered her eyes, staring at Haineko's fading form. She finally collapsed on her knees as the level of spiritual pressure rose in the air. She grabbed Rangiku's cold hand in hers.

Her eyes welled up with sadness, the type that was sudden and overbearing. It was as if she was suddenly drowning in it. It aged her soul to hold her best friend's hand like this. It scorched her flesh raw. What was wrong with this world, really?

The earth was steadily shaking beneath her, but Nanao was so numb. She just stared at Rangiku's beautiful face frozen for eternity. She was smiling. How could she smile when she was abandoning her post? Matsumoto Fukutaicho, how could you do that?

She suddenly snapped out of it. It's not like crying was going to help the situation. She took a deep breath. She needed to get her shit together. She was a soldier—another earthquake. The air sizzled with electricity behind her. Thunder rolled over and over. Nanao slowly gathered her bearings and stood up again, squeezing Rangiku's hand hard. She was kissing her forehead when she heard the footsteps. She was slowly getting up when she noticed a white silhouette hidden behind a curtain of smoke.

She immediately unsheathed her zanpakutō, shaking.

The silhouette approached nonchalantly. She froze in recognition and silently stepped away.

"What an awful wife! You must be the worst wife in the universe, Ran-chan? You always let go way too soon. What did I tell you last time? You hold onto your man. That's what you must do."

He said, playing with Shinso. Gin stepped carefully, locking eyes with Nanao for a bare second in acknowledgment before he leaned over Rangiku's body, brushing her blond hair away from her face, wiping the blood on her pallid skin.

Nanao stared ahead, completely shocked. Behind Gin, Rangiku stood wearing her white dress, holding her hands behind her playfully like a child. The ghost was wearing white just like him. She blinked in horror and jumped back startled.

"See, you got your friend worried, sweetheart. That's not nice."

Rangiku nodded silently before fading. Meanwhile, Gin leaned and boldly kissed her corpse. He hugged her fiercely, seemingly without a care in this chaotic world. Her body immediately arched as soon as their lips touched. His lips brushed hers softly, not innocent but teasing. She exhaled, and her chest started rising and falling normally. Then he held onto her face again, and this time, he started kissing her in earnest, passionate and demanding.

"Whose fault is it, you Wandering Mongrel? You always take so long to come home, you idiot. Next time, I'm leaving you behind!"

His face split from his usual smirk before he shut her up with another lingering kiss.

Nanao turned away quickly, flustered. She coughed comically, fanning her reddened face frantically.

"Excuse me… I don't wanna bother you. I don't wanna interrupt what looks like a nice reunion between two presumed dead people. But Muken's doors are about to open, and Hell is upon us. The enemy is still over there, kicking it as we speak. Although I will need an explanation soon for all this because I planned to faint later from the shock. I do. But the first order of business, Gin… I mean, Sir. I mean, Ichimaru-Taicho. I mean… Oh, you know what I mean! I don't know which side you're on today. But it would be super nice if it was our side. I'm just saying."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I edited the hell out of these chapters from the French version. The French version can stand on its own, mind you. The story worked well. I believe that. Yet, it was taking me too long to install the additional elements of the universe needed to comprehend what's at stakes here, like the cosmic movements, the residual laws, and of course, everything that is related to the King. In this version, I started introducing a lot much sooner, and I'm much more transparent on the characters' backstory. Like this, I feel you are much more equipped in this version to understand where I'm going. I hope you enjoy it.


	57. The Captain of the Third Division

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is part of my big 'Happy Birthday Mig' Bundle! I decided to try to update all the stories left on hold, emptying my drawers, in honor of my birthday tomorrow. Time are pretty uncertain and I'm sorry for the lack of updates, but I've been swamped with work, and life basically. Just know that I'm trying my best here. I pray you all to stay safe. Covid-19 is no joke. Protect yourself. Protect your entourage. Thanks for all the kudos and reviews! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

-58 -

**The Captain of the Third Division**

* * *

**Kyouraku Shunsui**

Captain of the 8th division

Best friend of Jūshirō Ukitake

Drinking buddy of Rangiku Matsumoto

Best party planner in Seireitei

Yamamoto's dog of war

Someone wise said, "I'm fed up to the ears with **old men** dreaming up wars for **young** **men** to die in." He wholeheartedly concurs. He had been a young man who became one of those older men now.

* * *

Have you ever tried reading during an Apocalypse? Well, Shunsui could tell you currently what that felt like? Flipping the virtual pages of the Hojō book on the tablet provided by Nanao frantically, he was trying to find a way out of this mess for all of them. Above his head, his pal Jūshirō was playing mouse and cats with those teenage terrors. Knowing Ju-chan, he knew he was probably nearing the point of no return. He was getting physically exhausted and terribly frustrated. It was the best combination to let the rough battle-worn soldier inside him out.

On cue, Jūshirō faded. The two arrancars blinked, caught unprepared. He reappeared sheathing his sword in his scabbard. While they were trying to send a combined gran rei cero, he glided past them, forcing them to let go of each other's hands. He skidded in the air as if on a virtual surfboard, mortally stabbing them both with his zanpakutō. They disappeared before he had time to sheath back his zanpakutō.

But Ju-chan's relief was short-lived. On the hill, Omaeda got swallowed by that devil instrument. Everything disappeared under a blanket of white light. Then, Geren's unusual pattern was seemingly neutralized alternatively by Soi Fon's bankai and Dengeki's kido, a peace also short-lived, as both got owned by that Primeros Enzo, Enzo who seemed entirely too dedicated with wiping the floor with Dengeki. Someone started to run away. Good thinking! Shunsui blinked in surprise. That was Rangiku Matsumoto. Four chains fell on the Seireitei one by one. A primitive roar resonated like thunder. Jūshirō went down on one knee in the air, his head suddenly boiling. He started coughing blood repeatedly. What was that?

Shunsui lifted his head. That couldn't be… He put the tablet inside his kosode with lightning-fast precision just in time to catch Jūshirō before he crashed unconscious in his arms.

Slowly putting his friend down on the trembling ground, Shunsui checked his vitals and turned again to Muken's gates. Two gigantic eyes blinked open in the shadow of that door, signaling that something huge and unfriendly wanted to come out.

Shunsui opened the book again before he felt a drastic change in the atmosphere. He looked up. Matsumoto Rangiku jumped from that hill. Believe it or not, he heard distinctly the noise her body made when she collided with earth. Jūshirō bolted awake, searching his face for confirmation. There was almost an eerie silence that follows. But Jūshirō simply dusted his clothes back up and stole the tablet in his hand.

Shunsui's gaze couldn't tear away from the place Rangiku landed. His chest was tight. He remembered her drunken smile and the scent of her skin sweating with plum wine. All the time, she laughed with Nanao too. There was smoke rising in the air. Was she pushed? Did she jump? Was she scared? Nanao. He turned his gaze following the mad dash of his lieutenant in the forest toward Rangiku's death bed.

"Let's try that!" Jūshirō said, pulling on his sleeves.

Shunsui remained frozen.

"She's gone. She was a lovely young woman. Nothing we can do about it. You will worry about Nanao later." Jūshirō snapped.

Shunsui sighed. Trust Jūshirō to keep a level-head facing death.

"We can't close that door. It's going to open no matter what." He told his best friend.

"Well, there's a Guardian behind that door. Programmed to destroy every living being, he considered an enemy to his cause."

"Let me guess that includes innocent bystanders. He is programmed to annihilate us all."

"Bingo!" Jūshirō said.

"We are all gonna die."

"Nope. We're not. Fortunately, there's a way here. It's costly but doable."

"What are we waiting for?"

"It's a transgression spell. So… »

"Oh! There's a price to pay… I knew there's always a catch!"

"Well…"

"Lead the way, gentle knight, for this is our last feast."

Jūshirō burst out laughing, and it all sounded foreign in the midst of this chaotic mess. Shunsui frowned. What was wrong with him? Couldn't he read a mood?

"I almost forgot you become so poetic when things become dire. I will tell Nanao..."

He faded.

"You can't tell her if you're dead."

"No, I'm gonna survive this just to tell her. You're the one doing the spell." Ju-chan teased.

The blonde faded. Shunsui followed him and reappeared on top of the hill, a few feet from a stunned Enzo.

Getting his bearing back at the sight of the two captains, Enzo stepped away from the edge.

"Dead meat!" Enzo growled.

Jūshirō checked Soi Fon and Dengeki's vitals while Shunsui bowed down politely.

"Leader of the insurrection, I presumed. Shunsui Kyouraku. Captain of the 8th division. A pleasure to meet you in such gruesome circumstances."

The earth grumbled over and over. But Enzo started walking toward him with swag, nonchalantly playing with his spear, all traces of his previous outbursts gone.

"You're here to join the fun. Good. I can't say things work out exactly as I plan, I'm afraid. But the situation keeps turning around to my advantage, so who am I to complain?"

"I can see that. Everybody makes mistakes."

His face contorted with anger.

"I don't make mistakes! Unwilling people surround me! It's not on me if no one can't follow a fucking script !"

"We aim to misbehave… I mean to please, of course."

"You… are the comic captain?" Enzo said, deadpan.

Shunsui shrugged amiably.

"Didn't you just push Matsumoto Rangiku off a cliff?!"

Enzo stopped dead in his tracks.

"What?"

"Didn't you just push her?"

Enzo frowned in confusion. He failed to understand Shunsui's angle here.

"She's dead, so what!"

"Oh! It's nothing! I just wanted to check that the woman behind you could only be a ghost. You know, since you say she's dead and all!"

Enzo spun around just in time for Matsumoto to strike his smug ugly face with her fist. The woman recoiled immediately, groaning immediately in pain. It must have broken a dozen bones in her hand. Yet, his Hierro remained unscratched like marble. He stood there with wide eyes while she comically jumped up and down.

"Oh, that hurts, Son of a bitch!"

"I told you let me clean up, sweetie! Why are you so stubborn? "

Enzo remained frozen. Shunsui started to grin.

"You never clean up behind you, Ichimaru Gin. That's the principal issue in our relationship. Look at the stain you made."

She said, facing Enzo with a dead cold stare.

"It's never too late to change, honey. What do you say, pumpkin pie? I mean, Enzoraki-san. That was your name, right? Long time no see. A little bird told me you asked around for me." Gin teased.

There was a tornado of spiritual pressure each step he took.

The ex-captain of the third division swaggered slowly from behind a curtain of dust and fallen debris, his hands nonchalantly joined behind his back, with a regal demeanor, enveloped in his immaculate Arrancar coat. His skin was white as snow, seemingly durable like Hierro, his smile was just as cruel and deceiving as it used to. But it was his eyes that clashed the most with the rest. He stood there, staring at the world with the most innocent baby blue eyes. Yet, Enzo felt like they were sharp ice shards stabbing his chest open from the inside.

Nanao ran toward her captain while Rangiku stepped away slowly from Enzo.

"I told you. Our boy is star-struck. Isn't that cute?" Rangiku said, holding out her hand for Gin. He grabbed her possessively and kissed her neck. They looked every bit like the mischievous children god living in the temple of Mount Miroku.

Gin was mentally ready when Rangiku playfully slapped him. He owed her that much.

"Idiot ! Idiot ! Idiot !"

Gin stood his ground. His lips stretched into his usual smirk. His collar was crumpled between her clenched fingers.

"I knew it. I knew you were somewhere. I needed to find you. I remembered everything you ever taught me. I wasn't sure it worked, but I had to try..."

" What is this half-baked logic, Ran-chan? It made half a lick of sense to risk this life on a whim. Yet, I'm proud of you."

He whispered in her ears. Gin leaned over to bring their foreheads together.

"You are cold." She whispered in his neck, her breath warm on his marble skin.

"I'm a little dead, you know. I died many times...technically speaking...on the path that connects Heaven and Hell. I'm glad I said I was sorry in case we'd miss each other at the crossroad of our twisted destinies."

"Don't make me punch you again."

"I just wanted to see you smile again… Look at you, you look so radiant."

She did just that, gave him the brightest, shiniest smile. You could say that Hell was paved now with Gin Ichimaru's good intentions. He took a tentative step back, teasing. Kissing the back of her hand softly, he finally let go.

Enzo Weavorpine hadn't moved much since Rangiku successfully had thrown herself off the cliff and resurrected herself and her lover. He hadn't made much progress. He watched with an almost absent look the couple approaching. Gin Ichimaru. Ichimaru was alive. Gin Ichimaru. Gin Ichimaru ... Gin Ichimaru was walking in his direction. A smile stretched his lips to the ears. Enzo was not a monster. The real monster ... stood a few feet in front of him. The monster was walking towards him. Behind this angelic façade… There was a monster.

Gin crossed right next to him. Enzo's eyes widened in stupefaction. Gin brushed past him, his overbearing aura invading Enzo's mind. What? The Primeros rewound the scene over and over in his mind. Was he just ignored?

His white coat floated behind him like a specter. Gin Ichimaru. Enzo glanced at Rangiku then follow Gin again and Shunsui.

Gin stooped next to Manatsu Dengeki. They all watched as Jūshirō massaged her ki point, trying to stimulate her regenerative skills. Gin tilted his head, checking the woman from head to toe. The "new him" was pissing blood on the floor. He sighed and crouched down beside her. She opened her eyes wide. Gin opened an eyelid, surprised. She had fuchsia eyes. Curious! Her eyes were pure crystalline and pink. She, too, immediately recognized him. A first convulsion shook her entrails. Jūshirō tried to steady her head. Manatsu was unable to say a word, blood rushing down her throat. A streak of blood stained the corner of her lips. She was really in bad shape. Tears gathered in her eyes. He could read the humiliation in her pupils so frankly. What an interesting woman? She lifted her neck slightly, trying to look him in the eye, opening her mouth. She was suffocating. It suddenly passed in her eyes, like a shadow. She went from surprise to anger, to wonder, then finally to acceptance. Well, at least he didn't have to do the introductions. Gin gave Jūshirō a nod so the latter could let go. He got out from his pocket, a shard of blood-red reiasekki.

"Gin…"

Gin silenced him quickly. He put two fingers on the young woman's forehead. In a few seconds, he transferred so much reiatsu to her to accelerate her organs and cells' regeneration and cells that she lost consciousness again. Her wounds started closing immediately. What would Kira do without a captain? He was wholly capable of devoting himself full time to poetry. No one wanted that, right? The world did not need one more tortured poet. He grabbed her wrist and lifted her again. He removed her haori with a single gesture. He yanked the coat out in the air and finally put it on. It still suited him like a glove. Was he surprised? No, he knew it would fit him perfectly.

After which, he turned towards Enzo. Would he understand the message? Jikanakuma brushed his face, tearing off a few strands of gray hair in the process. He dodged. The spear struck the ground violently, leaving its mark on the rocky, unstable ground.

"Well, Captain Ichimaru, it looks like we will leave this in your hands," Shunsui said as he and Jūshirō helped Dengeki up, Nanao in tow.

* * *

**Gin Ichimaru**

Former commander of the armies of Aizen

Former Captain of the Third Division

Former Prisoner of the Tower of Regrets

Former chairman of the Gotei 13 Haiku Club

Former Event planner in Las Noches

Self-appointed Captain of the Third Division

Yamamoto's Dog of War

He had turned into a snake ... had devoured humans and with the same mouth that had declared his love for Rangiku Matsumoto. On the other hand, Rangiku crossed a universe, defied logic and bigger instances, generally didn't give a fuck about any of his sacrifices, stomped on his pride, slammed him for his idiocy, and brought him back to earth manu militari. Who would dare suggest they were anything but a match made in Heaven?

* * *

The last drop of blood inside Gin Ichimaru dripped on the metallic floor of the standing sarcophagus he was in, making an indecent racket in the silent castle where all the monsters were gone. Then nothing.

Nelliel stepped away from Szayel Appollo Granz's machine. Tia sighed. The royal tapestry on the wall fell.

" We tried everything. There's nothing more we can do. "

Nelliel shook her head in denial.

This couldn't be.

"Let's go get Grimmjow. He won't be able to last too long where he is." Tia suggested.

Nelliel sighed heavily. She knew she was right. It's not like they hadn't tried everything for the past couple of hours. They tried every parameter in the machine. They gave him blood. They use Reiasekki stones. They shot him full of improbable drugs. They tried spells. He remained in that same state between life and death with no brain function, no blood flow, no reiatsu circulation. It was almost as if he was…

As if he was dormant.

Tia suddenly spun on herself toward the machine. Dormant. No blood flow. No reiatsu circulation. No brain functions. No blood flow. No reiatsu circulation. No brain functions. Her inner beast growled in recognition, surprising Nel beside.

"Tia? What is it?"

Tia couldn't speak. No blood flow. No reiatsu circulation. No brain Functions. No blood flow. A soul suspended in time. A Soul Dormant.

"Kneel."

"What?"

"Kneel and pray… We haven't tried praying. Pray, he won't hold it against us." Tia whispered as she slowly crawled on her knees.

His body was frozen for something resembling eternity. It was a tranquil 'death' he experienced. Something like the temporary extinction of all his desires and needs. He went to sleep in the Sarcophagus. How long did it last hours or days? Time like everything else, seemed non-existent.

Then without warning it, all ceased to be peaceful as pain traveled him once more, as his body became aware of his loss before his brain could process it. He lost something right there. He lost something. As he tried to access lost memories of her, his soul soared toward Heaven and Hell. She was the only thing he vowed to remember.

Gin wasn't in the Sarcophagus. At least if his body was physically there, he himself wasn't. He'd just been called by a purpose greater than himself. He had traveled beyond his years, visited hundreds of dimensions before he finally found it. Time and Space spread and stretched in front of him. He started his journey by searching through a blazing Karakura, treading through corpses and floating souls. Souls leaving their corporal bodies to enter the "device." Isshin Kurosaki's car drove through the packed streets like crazy and parked in front of the Urahara shop, leaving a caoutchouc trail on the asphalt. Yet, undisturbed, Chad and his girlfriend were making out. At least their souls were… Was it good to be young?

Ichigo Kurosaki got immediately out of the SUV but stopped himself when he noticed Chad's body on the ground. He froze as he realized it was too late for his friend. The kid oddly turned toward Gin's spot, as if aware of his presence. He stared in Gin's direction, still blind. But the moment passed. Gin did not linger. He followed the convoy of dead souls to Jigokucho. He lost Ichigo's friend there. It took him days to trail a cargo of souls in their journey toward the nine infernal dimensions, knowing he just needed one of them to be ripe for transition. Eventually, it will happen. One would be mature enough. One of them would lead him to the Factory. Perched on the edge of a cliff, he watched thousands of souls escorted by _Servants_ in Bōkyakusabaku, the Desert of Oblivion, the place where they shall forget their existence as they traveled through dunes and canyons. He swam in the Bounty Lake, where the souls wash away their sins. He followed the cattle for something like a strange millennium until they made their way toward their last transitions. Fortunately, time was also a matter of interpretation there.

Bingo. He finally found it—the Gates of the **Factory**.

By [Romain Laforet](https://www.artstation.com/romainlaforet)

That's when he rode the clouds back down, falling through cosmic layers after cosmic layers, tearing himself from the current, crashing back into his body again, like a meteor entering a black hole, triggering a set of explosions in Szayel's lab and his awakening. Tia just had time to cover her head on the floor. The surgical table soared above her and stuck itself in the wall. Nel jumped and found shelter behind a tall storage cupboard. It glided on the floor behind her, creaking, attracted by an invisible force. The machine started again as if animated with a new will. The tank filled with heated liquid gold, streaming from glass pipes in the ceiling. The red Reiasekki stone Tia found earlier started to shine with a trepid intensity in the dark. Electricity sizzled in the air. The room turned a critical red. Nel grabbed Tia's hand and pulled her to safety. Both Vasto Lorde held onto each other hard.

**Audiomachine - The New Earth**

As the Machine engine roared so loud. It flickered in the dark, sparkling with energy. Tia held Nel's hand to her chest. Both women watched the walls undulate around them. Gradually, the walls undulated to dissolve to an atomic level. But it wasn't the strangest thing that happened. The rooms of Las Noches started to move, rearranging themselves. The dome hiding the moon disappeared, melted away. Despite its floor caught under Hitsugaya's bankai, the throne room magically remodeled itself, dissolving the three seats to erect just one presiding over four modest seats. The tapestry in the old Barragan's room. The chimney. The Espada table. The chairs. Aizen's library. Walls and random furniture turned to reishi dust. The particles floated in the air like orbs.

In the desert, every Hollows turned to Las Noches. The Gillians stopped fighting each other. In the forest of Menos, the creatures bowed respectfully toward Las Noches, weeping heavily. Their tears soon formed a stream which turned into a torrent in a matter of seconds...

Rushing down it did toward Infinity... Toward the Precipice of Defeat... Toward the Heart of the Palace.

The ground vibrated harder. The Reiasekki stones shone brighter. Beneath Las Noches, the torrents of tears formed an intricate circuit, bright waterfalls formed, rapids flick up against its surface, boulders rise out of the water like the bows of a sunken fleet, remnants of the old architecture. The foundations were elevated, and the stairs rose above the water level. Dunes turned into the perfect material for new walls and a fresh start. The waterfalls turned into crystalline flowers, spawning more virgin Reiasekki gems in the throne room. The room that had been providentially turned by Hitsugaya in an ice-box. Las Noches rose from its ashes, reborn and sparkling like jewels.

The earth stood suddenly still. Nel and Tia exchanged a worried glance. Nel tried to stand, but Tia shook her head, keeping her still behind her. The door of the white Sarcophagus exploded against the wall and turned to pieces. Tia peeked quickly over her shoulder just enough to realize the tank was empty. Gin was gone.

She stood in the middle of her new surrounding, not really understanding what just happened.

A thousand-year forward or past, his hair down his neck, his bang covering his eyes, Gin stood in front of the infernal Gates of the Factory again, trying to decide if he will destroy the thing or… wait patiently for the doors to open for him. He didn't have to wait for long, the mechanism triggered, the door opened slowly. In the shadow, a Guardian started a slow retreat, never revealing its ugly features. It was the kind made with stardust, venom, and wildfire, the kind he remembered Someone dedicated built with care, in other words, the very deadly kind. It growled low as it disappeared in the shadow, making the walls undulate in his wake. Gin crossed the threshold of the Factory uninvited but tolerated. He couldn't even explain his ease, as he navigated through the maze, passed the assembly lines, and searched through the sea of bland dispossessed souls, his precious possession.

BY  [ Jeternity ](https://www.deviantart.com/jeternity)

He suddenly looked up and stared at the balcony. A woman was leaning over, seemingly bored beyond her years. Their eyes locked together. She frowned in confusion and ordered the freezing of all machines. Gin kept Shinso close in his sleeves as she made her way toward him. She was almost running. Silver hair flying out of her traditional bun, she walked faster despite her Kimono becoming a hindrance. Gin tilted his head. She looked like a glass doll. Something foreign. Yet familiar. She kept staring at him with eyes that couldn't comprehend his presence.

"Ikki? Is that you?"

Ikki? The woman gasped loudly. She breathed hard, holding her chest. It was as if she knew him from somewhere. He didn't have much time to ponder. Something shifted behind her. Gin smirked as a silhouette came standing behind the Silver doll. He would recognize this soul anywhere.

"Gin…" It whispered.

She made it. She remembered. She rode the clouds. Rangiku's face became less blurry and bland, and she progressively got her features back, unbeknownst to their host. Standing there with glorious red hair and bright lucid blue eyes. Faced with two women gently staring at him with tears in their eyes. Gin smirked. He was always going to choose the same girl over and over. That was his girl. A tear traveled his cheek. She remembered.

_"I'm not sure about this, Gin. You have so much reiatsu. I'm not as strong as you."_

_"Well, it's less a matter of reiatsu than a matter of will. Believe in yourself. That's the first rule. This will be a fight but not a physical one."_

_"Are we going to die?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Will it hurt?"_

_"Probably. Yes. It will. It won't last long, though."_

_He grabbed her by her neck, spinning her, so her back faced the precipice. He locked eyes with her._

_"Yet, you will never feel freedom like that. You will never feel joy like that. You will never get to be strong like that. Real power is when you can change your fate. Real power is not to let anyone decide your next step. Real power is being able to control the wheel."_

_Her eyes closed. She smiled and let go._

The raindrops trickled down the narrow angles of his perfectly drawn chin. His silver hair dripped down the collar of his white coat. Gin let go of her hand reluctantly and separated. He did promise to clean up after all.

Gin brushed past Enzo Weavorpine and ignore him. Enzo's eyes widened in stupefaction. He could only peek over his shoulder. His white coat floated behind him like a specter, Gin Ichimaru was alive. Enzo glanced at Rangiku then follow Gin again and Shunsui.

Gin stopped over Manatsu Dengeki. Jūshirō massaged her Ki point, trying to stimulate her regenerative skills, transferring some reiatsu. Gin tilted his head, checking the woman from head to toe. The "new him" was pissing blood on the floor. He sighed and crouched down beside her. She opened her eyes wide. Gin opened one blue eyelid, surprised. She had fuchsia eyes. Astonishing! Her eyes were pure crystalline and pink. She, too, immediately recognized him. A first convulsion shook her entrails. Jūshirō tried to steady her head. But the woman, stubborn in her own right, pushed back a little. Manatsu was unable to say a word, blood rushing down her throat. A streak of blood stained the corner of her lips. She was really in bad shape. Tears gathered in her eyes. He could read the humiliation in her pupils so frankly. What an interesting woman? She lifted her neck slightly, trying to look him in the eye, opening her mouth. She was suffocating. It suddenly passed in her eyes, like a shadow. She went from surprise to anger, to wonder, then finally to acceptance.

She was pissed off because Gin dared put his hands on her lieutenant and show his face. She was confused about the expression on his face. She was confused about his presence period. Well, at least they didn't have to do the introductions. That quieted her heart. They stared at each other like long acquaintances. Manatsu Dengeki. Gin Ichimaru. He gave her a very boyish smile for a split second. She wondered at his pallid expression. His skin was so pale. Oh, Takumi, her wife, would have found him gorgeous! Takumi! Oh! She almost forgot about her! She closed her eyes, feeling her life slipped away.

Gin gave Jūshirō a nod so the latter could let go. He got out from his pocket, a shard of blood-red Reiasekki.

"Gin… that's…"

Gin silenced him quickly. He put two fingers on the young woman's forehead. In a few seconds, he transferred so much reiatsu to her to accelerate her organs' regeneration that she lost consciousness again. Her wounds started closing immediately. What would Kira do without a captain? He was wholly capable of devoting himself full time to poetry. No one wanted that, right? The world did not need one more tortured poet. He grabbed her wrist and lifted her again. He removed her haori with a single gesture. He yanked the coat out in the air and finally put it on. It still suited him like a glove. Was he surprised? No, he knew it would fit him perfectly. To answer Nanao-chan's earlier question, it's not like he knew anything about what they were fighting for. Yet, Enzo pissed on his prize and called it vengeance.

How dare he? How dare this guy try to breathe in the same air as Rangiku? How dare he try to touch what was his again? How dare he pretend that Gin had ever made him suffer to the level of what he inflicted on his girl? How dare he pretend to be a victim? Who was he to think his meager existence matter to Gin or the Fucking universe? That type of hate alone deserved his undivided attention.

And somebody should let that door open… Let Aizen walk out of there free. You will see which side Gin Ichimaru would be on. Gin Ichimaru was always on Gin Ichimaru's side. Nanao-chan should know by now.

Gin faced Enzo directly. Would he get the message? Jikanakuma brushed his face, tearing off a few strands of gray hair in the process. He dodged. The spear struck the ground violently, leaving its mark on the rocky, unstable ground. Well, what a boy wonder! He did get the message.

"Well, Captain Ichimaru, looks like we will leave this in your hands," Shunsui said as he and Jūshirō helped an unconscious Dengeki up, Nanao in tow.

"Shunsui?"

While dodging one of Jikanakuma's attack, Gin threw the Reiasekki stone at his old ally. Shunsui caught it and disappeared.

Shinso and Jikanakuma met at last. At the same time as Muken gradually anchors itself to Soul Society in a sickening noise. The collision of the two worlds caused a large explosion that colored the Seireitei in green and yellow. The blast pushed the two opponents further apart.

Enraged, Enzo swung again. The air sizzled around them. He stepped aside, avoiding Jikanakuma at the last minute. Enzo disappeared to better take him from behind. Gin praised him for his initiative with a kick. He crushed the face of the Primeros under his foot. Enzo crashed on the ground face first, tasting dark, putrid Hollow blood on his tongue. He stared at that bitch, Rangiku, watching it all and almost growled.

Gin stooped slowly to his level.

"Are you gonna s and beg me to end your end your life quickly?"

Striking the ground twice, Enzo growled then laughed maniacally, unable to stop himself. It was probably contagious as Gin started to laugh too.

" I was shaking when I came … I was shaking earlier. I mean, you're a Primeros now. Aizen's dirty little secret. He must have kept you guys for a reason. I told myself maybe you won't win this one, Gin. But I see that you haven't changed one bit since." Gin teased.

With a roar of rage, his eyes bulging, Enzo straightened up and kicked Gin on the floor. Too late, he was behind him, whispering in his ears.

"I don't think I have as much imagination as I did back then. I got significantly older, you might say. Maybe even a bit senile. Yet, I will try to be creative, for your sake, Pumpkinhead. "

They chased each other, each side landing powerful blows on the other. They danced around Rangiku, their silhouettes just a blur, a tornado of intents. Blood was flying around in heavy droplets that splashed her yukata. Rangiku's heart grew tense. The tension grew exponentially, and she saw the intent in every deliberate strike. She tried to move away, not letting herself get caught in the fight. At this rate, the hill was going to collapse. This fight had been an intricately choreographed dance of destruction planned long ahead. Everywhere she looked, there were signs of despair.

Suddenly, one hand snaked around her waist uninvited, and Rangiku was forcefully pulled into their dance, forced to be a shield, forced to play the role of the victim again. She didn't scream. She fought back.

BY  [ SymphonicDeception ](https://www.deviantart.com/symphonicdeception)

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = Your wish is my Command


	58. Your wish is my command

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm truly sorry for the delay. I could say it's because of work. I could say it's because of Covid-19. I could say it's because my laptop is living its last days and thanks to this economy I can't invest in a new one. I could say that in the last two months I rewrote the chapter twice, to the point where I became frustrated with myself. I could say all of those things it still would not explain fully my sporadic publishing. What I can say, is that Alice and Amira_shush, you guys are the ones who brought me back to this story with your kind reviews and your words of encouragement. I hope you're still hanging in there because I'm still counting on you. I'm thankful.

-59-

**Your wish is my command.**

* * *

**Kakira**

Reihachi

Zero Squad member

Friend of Kirio

Warden of the Royal Jail

In this world, there was a difference between being made and being born. She was made before she was born, well-bred but not loved. She was thought, conceived, engineered, and assigned a role before she was desired. Trust her, it made a difference.

* * *

In Soul Society, Suki Ichinose was staring at the clouds, thinking back to all the promises she wished in a perfect world she could have kept. Unaware of the turmoil inside her Captain, Momo Hinamori was ushering the captains to protect themselves with a strange smelling decoction with mitigating success.

Sasakibe silently stood by Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, even if he did not understand every decision his Commander was taking. He trusted him. He made a vow ever since he had been a little kid with a head full of dreams. He had vowed to follow this man, the great savior of a whole generation, to the pit of Hell itself. He would never go back on his words.

Byakuya was scowling at them from a distance, rarely the noble had been so keen to show his disapproval, letting himself be open like a book the world to see. Ukitake and Unohana also stared at each other, but this time with a hint of longing. Maybe for a brief moment, they wanted to think back to the night they shared. Maybe it was longing for peace that made them pause. They will have a vastly different duty in this war, her nursing the wounded, him slaying evil. It didn't seem fair. She was about to return to the living world HQ with a twisted knot in her stomach. Some part of Unohana, the ugly side, was somewhat jealous of her friends.

**Audiomachine - Guardians at the Gate (GRV Extended RMX)**

Surveilling all the screens, Ego was working hard on his task, grumbling alone, that he always felt like he was the only one working in the universe. Nobody could blame him since you just had to watch a certain Suki-chan lying on her back on a patch of green grass, to be convinced.

Kirio stood in front of the Royal Chamber, surrounded by Servants of various sizes. She remembered Reiichi's warning. Be careful what you wish for. She grabbed her left hand to stop it from shaking each time the wall would waiver under the amount of spiritual power. If Kakira could do this, she could too.

But it didn't help at all, and she was unprepared as she heard the Royal Chamber's latch unlock itself from the inside.

by  [ Sephiroth-Art ](https://www.deviantart.com/sephiroth-art)

Yomi, alias Mizuiro Kojima, landed nimbly after 'falling,' ripping the clouds apart in the sky, having traveled dimensions in a matter of seconds. He perched himself casually over the balcony of the Kojima tower. From there, he had an astonishing view of the burning Karakura. A plane and a helicopter had crashed midtown. Clouds of smoke soared in the already dampened grey sky with the hand of the Guardian retracting. Yomi frowned as he sniffed the air. It smelled like sulfur. Then the ground started shaking again, and he immediately set his eyes on the courtyard of Urahara's shop. The world turned critically red for a split second. He blinked. That scent. That familiar scent of ashes and sulfur. The sky fractured open, revealing a glimpse of Hueco Mundo. A black Dragon-like creature flew out of the hole before it dissipated into smokes. Yomi blinked. What was that? A vision? A vision of Mammongi. Impossible. It couldn't be. Not just any Vasto Lorde. The father of all dead things, The First Son, The Primo Lorde, Mammongi, is fucking awake? Alive? Fuck! What the Fuck! That was impossible. He was dead. Gone.

But that was only the beginning of his trouble. Oh no! Ichigo! Sweat dropping across his neck, Yomi raced across the balcony as he followed a black SUV as it raced through the chaotic streets in the direction of the epicenter of the fight. He was mainly focused not on Ichigo Kurosaki dashing out of the moving car, choosing to run instead of waiting, but on his father, behind the wheel. His father, the person who drove him back there, knowing he was about to have his heart crushed. The situation was getting way out of control. A Senkaimon opened slowly in lieu and place of the elevator. A beautiful woman approached slowly and joined him on the balcony, carrying a tablet, the perfect picture of a dutiful secretary.

\- The Xcution Team has arrived. They are getting accustomed to their new accommodations. Do we have the list of ingredients yet?

He shook his head, grumbling.

\- Nope, but I need you to secure the perimeter.

\- You look pale, Boss.

It was probably a joke. Because, if anything, Yomi was pale as the dead under this fake skin.

-It's like you've seen a ghost?

Again another joke; he was practically a ghost—a very resilient Poltergeist from the Past.

_"You think killing me will solve your problem. This is their world. (sneer) You're just the herd. On the bottom of the pyramid, you guys should have stayed. You think you will prevail? You will never get a seat at the table. The King doesn't speak to nutrients like us. He doesn't speak to outsiders. He only listens to His children. And you don't stand a chance against Mammongi even with your little soldier boys and your magic tricks. Mammongi is gonna eat you alive, you and your men. But before he does, he and all the Children he sired will make sure you live long enough to beg for death. When he is gonna grant your wish, you will think this is mercy. If you're lucky, he won't exterminate all of you, children, lovers, elders at once and threw you back into the cycle. Do it all over again. Until he gets bored, that is. That's what happened to my people. And now I am the only one left… No, you will fail, trust me."_

_"Trust you? You work for them. You're the Commander of the Quincy army. Knight Protector of the realm, Grand Intendant of Las Noches."_

_"Fancy title for the help."_

_"You pillaged and enslaved entire villages…"_

_"Like I said, I'm a survivor… I've been doing this for a long time. And I know a way, so you get to save your people and be a hero… I can tell you how to kill Mammongi. When he is dead and out of the picture… Maybe you have a shot at hunting bigger games… I don't really care... But I will need immunity, safe passage, and a long chat with your Boss. I want him to grant me a wish or two."_

_"Why would you help us?"_

_"Maybe I want to change the world too. Or maybe I just wanna make sure I survive this closing era. See, I am all about living forever. You want my help or not, Yamamoto-Taicho? What? Isn't that what your men call you now? I never forget a face in my long life. That I can be proud of. I think it's cute. You guys think you're a noble militia. A bunch of freedom fighters…You think I didn't know you were coming?! Please! I led you right into my doorsteps. (sneer) I will take your silence as a yes. That we have a deal. We will be working together from now on. **Yoroshiku Onegai Shimasu**."_

_"So…"_

_"The only way to kill The Primo Lorde is to maim his heart. His Hueco Centro, as we call it. Lucky for you! His heart has pretty legs! The name is Paz Schiffer. Charming brunette with soulful eyes. His mate. A glorious creature… But she is flawed. She cares too much about tiny people, tiny souls like you. She dreams of a world of peace between pluses and hollows. She made him weak. She did. Are you and your boys ready to go hunting?"_

\- Boss?

Yomi was staring in the distance, lost in his memory.

\- Are you alright?

\- I'm fine. I've never been better. Did you check the list of the departed like I ask you earlier?

\- You know, Boss, it will be impossible to sort out who is who before a long time. It's a mess out there. A carnage, really. With traumatized souls crawling in the streets… Yeurk… There's a lot of cleaning up to do. Some souls melted and fused together… It's a headache. You know better than me how these spells worked.

He gave her a stern look. She bowed with a sweet smile.

\- Of course, I will do my best with this cargo, Sir. I know it's precious to you. If we find him…

He turned immediately to face her since it was like she stabbed his pride with her words. She didn't blink. His face morphed, translucid skin rippling like water for a second. But when he looked up, he was back to looking at her with the deceivingly peaceful eyes of Mizuiro Kojima.

\- Not if…When you find Chad… You get him back into the cycle asap. I want him reincarnated and happy somewhere by next week. If not, that boy is gonna know…"

\- But…

\- He is gonna know… Trust me… He will feel it… and he will come after us in whatever state he is in. We don't want that. We also don't want Vasto Lorde running around… You check that out too.

He finished calmly. She shrugged.

\- First of all, I can't imagine that boy going anywhere in that crippled state. But whatever you say, he can come. We're ready for a welcome party. The boys have been itching for a decent fight for decades now. And Vasto Lorde, Boss? Is that a joke? They're extinct. They have been for a millennium. It's probably one of Aizen's little pet projects. An Espada. Smells similar. I know you wanted them all dead, but some of them are so clueless and harmless! It's a crime! It makes me feel dirty!

\- Jackie?

\- Yes, Boss?

\- Just do as you're told for once.

He said tiredly. She frowned but bowed down low.

\- You're the Boss, Boss.

by  [ yuumei ](https://www.deviantart.com/yuumei)

(Picture 2: How I picture the arrival of the X-Cution Team in front of the Kojima tower in Karakura)

Masakira landed in Jigoku just before the gates open. With its mountains of snow and river of lava, Hell was a beautiful place to look at. He didn't dislike taking strolls there, smelling the sulfur fumes, through the ground crevices, let himself be lulled by the helpless roar of the Kushanādas. [1] In the collective minds, Hell was the place where Togabito, that is to say, sinners, came to be punished for all their crimes committed while they were alive. But Hell was also a reservoir when Soul Society's full capacity was reached or severely amputated by a conflict, as was the case presently. Indeed, fewer people were aware that Jigoku could act as a gigantic pantry. It kept spirits from depleting or deteriorating while they awaited to join the cycle. It wasn't the friendliest place, per se. Most souls were traumatized by their stay here. But it wasn't the most horrible, Masakira reckoned, Kakira's jails having a much "better" reputation in his mind.

His hands joined behind his back, Masakira stared at the opening Gates with a neutral expression. He contemplated the souls piling up in front of his gates with a bored look. Unbeknownst to all, however, his senses were running in overdrive. He could sense some souls had unusually attractive reiatsu, and he was positively starving. Now and then, as he stood unnaturally still, his eyes would turn obsidian black, and his mouth would be fuming. He wasn't "born" with any attachment to all these lands and their inhabitants. Except he kept the intimate knowledge, he should be the one to rule this kingdom. He was convinced his brother had it all wrong from the beginning. The only way to help their sick father would be to abbreviate his suffering and take over for him, and the only way to do that was to get stronger. To get stronger, they had to feed, braving their father's interdiction. Yet, even if they wanted. Right now, like him, they needed a cook, so as not to lose their sanity. It was a pity he could only watch the nutrients come and go on their two legs and bland yukata without touching. What a pity! His eyes settled like a hawk, a hollow hybrid helping another soul through the portal. A little snack won't hurt?

Furuichi landed directly in his old bedroom. The golden walls of the Shihouin palace shimmered on impact. He turned slowly, remembering the last time he had been here. At an odd time like this, he remembered fondly his little girl growing up, racing through the hallway, her laughter ringing in the air. He was not surprised, though, when he found the place empty and quiet. He wondered what mayhem his beloved daughter and her friends will cause this time. Even if he rationalized at the same time that he was her father, in this life at least, and he would gladly clean up after her like always. He approached the balcony. He was totally not surprised when he saw Persephone's head and three tails towering the walls of the quiet spirit court. It smelled like fire and bones with a whiff of sulfur. It smells like death.

Meanwhile, in Muken…

Reiichi said to secure the Prisoner. He said by whatever means necessary. It did not take Kakira too long to come back after the Red Chamber meeting. The little girl quickly crossed the corridors of the Eighth level of the Royal Dimension. The scent of sulfur and frankincense was heavy in the air. No sound filtered through the dark walls. Floating in the air, her feet not touching the ground, Kakira progressed quickly with her eyes riveted on her portable tablet.

"Kaikoroku? I need a quick report."

There was a sudden earthquake as if they were on a ship that was about to tank. She slammed the wall full-force and grunted as she got back on her feet.

**"Anomalies detected—texture Shift in all Interdimensional Strata. Instabilities detected. An Access Key request is being authenticated as we speak. Authentication Process may take up to ten hours."**

"Ten hours? That's plenty." She said.

**"Rectification. The process may start any time now."**

"But you just said?"

**"Muken is moving to accommodate the Key to the Abyssal Vaults, Kiboruto."**

"You just said we had ten hours?"

**"Negative. We have reset our calculations with the new parameters. The transfer has just been authorized manually by His Majesty from a distance. The process will take significantly less."**

"What?"

**"Completing transfer 14558XF879O. Order in accordance with the wishes of his Majesty, The King of all Spirits, Unique holder of the Seishin-shin [2], Guardian of the Mother, Bearer of the Spirit God, Illustrious descendant of Kami-Sama, Master of the House Kurosaki, Emperor of the Kingdom of the Rising Sun, Divine as God among the Transient Gods…"**

"I know what it means! Why did he do that? What is happening?"

**"The situation is akin to the Majesty unlocking the door himself."**

"He can do that?"

**"Its Majesty, the King of all Spirits, can do anything and beyond."**

"Please, I know that."

**"Why did you ask then?"**

"Kaikoroku?"

**"Transfer will start shortly."**

Kakira faded using shunpo. She reappeared behind the control command in the security room.

"Any ideas to avoid incoming disaster?"

**"Destruction Protocol. While Evacuation has a 35% success rate, Destruction has an estimated higher success rate at 78%. However, the Destruction protocol is manual. It could only be triggered from the inside."**

"I knew there was something I didn't like about it." She grunted.

**"It means one member has to stay behind to trigger the protocol." Kaikoroku went on.**

Kakira started to laugh at the incongruity of it all. Like she needed the explanation.

"So, you're telling me I have to sacrifice myself for the greater good. Can I barf now? Why must Reiichi always be right?! Nevermind! What should we do now? Let's go back to the nice cozy evacuation plan. What if we open an emergency portal on a lower-level dimension like he asked us? Dokutsu… is closer… For example, it's the closest on the map. Travel time will be shorter than other carceral dimensions, right? We will evacuate all the prisoners as soon as possible."

**"Estimated evacuation time with the current parameters: 8 hours minimum."**

"8 hours? Are you kidding me? Hello, we don't have 8 hours. Your words? Not mine! How long do you think it will take them to breach with their new toy?!"

**"85 minutes, 36 seconds to be exact. Give or take some Temporality interferences."**

"Give or take. Gee, Thanks!?"

**"I do not understand your request. Eight hours is the minimum time required to prepare the prisoners for transport. You will have to deactivate the kido seals and safety straps on all the subjects and reactivate them one by one in the transport module. Without that, I cannot confirm the success of the whole operation."**

"Well, we have to do it in less…"

**"You are an artificially mixed breed, engineered so that your Raw Power capacity will reach at best 1.5 Gamma Gosei. [1]."**

"Thanks. I wasn't aware of that. I can die happy now."

**"That is the equivalent of the energy emitted by a Protostar. That is quite reasonable. Yet, we would need a Supernova in this instance. We can hope that you will be able to subdue Aizen Sousuke. But even that fight will have an uncertain outcome. But not the second guest. Definitely not the third. You will need an additional 1.2 Megatons of Gamma Gosei to hope to subdue the sleeping Monarch, the one without a name. Note this is an approximation. If he wakes up, the data could change at any minute. No data have ever been registered about his strength."**

"Kaikoroku, girl, you're not helping!"

**"Opening the Sarcophagus of the Sleeping Monarch alone and risking waking him up is akin to condemning all living beings in all dimensions to eternal doom. That is all the data we have. We must consider Self-destruction as the only viable option. This proposition is the most adequate, with an estimated 78% success rate. Should I start the countdown and evacuate all internal staff?**

Reihachi frowned.

"78%? Are you kidding me? You, the most advanced computer, can only come up with this lame plan, and you want me to sacrifice my sweet artificial life on a whim. You just said if we wake up that beast, we're dead anyway. What do you think will happen if we miss… and that actually wake that beast up."

**"An explosion cannot wake a Kaiju caught in the Deep Slumber. This is 85% true."**

"That is not 100% fail-proofed. You, daft computer. My father and my uncles wake up every century…"

" **I am offended by your insinuations. My calculations are always the most correct. Your father and your uncle went to sleep on their own. On their own volition, which is a metabolism mechanism known to Kaiju as..."**

**"Hibernation."**

**"Exactly, so that they awoke on their own time is a given. This is not the same as entering the Deep Eternal Slumber, which is an unintended side effect from food poisoning or heavy body trauma. The outcome is quite uncertain. That is why Destruction remains the most adequate protocol at 78%."**

"Will I die?"

**"Most definitely yes."**

Kakira frowned.

"Will I join the cycle?"

**"Only mortals souls can join the cycle."**

"So for me…"

**"We do not have enough data at the moment to answer your query. For short, it is not impossible."**

"That's not a reassuring answer. Okay, you know… I don't care that much for this world. But care about survival! Sacrificing for no reason doesn't make sense to me. What are the odds that these guys don't disappear in the blast and we're stuck with an even bigger problem? What if they escape?"

**"The odds are also high, Reihachi. You are correct."**

"Progress…"

**"Yet, this is the most adequate solution at 78%."**

"You're like a broken record. Log me with my Father, Kaikoroku."

**"You're already logged. The request was made earlier by Reiichi. He's been listening all along."**

Kakira, turn to the camera on the corner of the wall. Great! She smiled.

"You heard that?"

Reiichi's face appeared on the screen.

"Is that what you were referring to when you told us about Reiroku's choice?"

"You don't have much time left. Don't waste time asking pointless questions."

"This is my last day, isn't it? I'm going to die today. And you knew that… How long have you known?"

Reiichi avoided her gaze, staring at another screen.

"You owe me this much. I think."

His reply was curt and savage.

"I don't owe you anything. However, you were made to counter such a basic threat. You are to make sure somebody like Aizen doesn't reach the King. That's your only purpose."

"Father…"

"You are strong like us, but you are not a kaiju. You don't have to feed. You don't starve. You don't get distracted by the sight of food. You don't have our weaknesses. Getting close to an hōgyoku won't send you into an eternal slumber. This is your day to shine."

Kakira stared at the screen.

"But I can die… Like it could be the end… The real end… No start over… No peaceful rest for a century or two… Really die… No waking up in a new body. No going back into the cycle. The end. I would disappear."

"And?" He said, looking unbothered.

"And? Will that be your last words to me? Don't I deserve a little more?"

She was met with silence. Reiichi shook his head without hesitation.

"I have no more valuable words for you."

Reiichi stared emotionless at the camera and said nothing.

"He made me so I could look like her, and I failed even that." The little girl cried.

"You look nothing like her. The truth is he must no longer remember what my sister actually looked like. So that's not on you… My father is sick. He's been sick a long time now. To think he could recreate my sister out of nowhere and replace her with a mere mannequin. Not even the Spirit God can do that. He has been searching for ways to create life out of nothing. But he could only make things like you… or Like me… or recycle all these other souls... That's the only thing he is good at…"

"You always knew he was going to do that."

"That was a possibility. That was a possible outcome. Multiple factors had to play out."

"Then why didn't you do something about it? Why don't you go there and hold that thing? Why don't you take his place! Why are you so complacent?"

"There is an order to everything. She was the one who was supposed to take his place. Eventually, she would have needed us, and we would have obeyed her wishes gladly. She was much stronger in will… You don't want me to hold that thing. Your life expectancy wouldn't have improved one bit if I did."

"But she is gone, and you… you're the only one strong enough to hold that thing. You assigned us all these tasks to please him when you could stop it all by taking the throne. You're the only one who can change things."

"Kakira, stop saying nonsense and obey your duty… That is the only thing I will request of you… Start the destruction protocol now."

"No."

He simply tilted his head in confusion.

"What did you say?"

"I said no. Bye Father! Suspend all external communication now. Kaikoroku, show me the prisoners **."**

Three sarcophagi appeared on three different screens.

**"He is right, Reihachi. It has the most elevated success rate."**

"It sucked. It sucked a lot. It's a dumb plan. Let me tell you… Let me think…"

**"Per request, Muken Transfer started... Arrival in Soul Society imminent."**

Kakira paced. She could never hope to solve this conundrum in time.

"I'm trying to think here. Give me the list again. Nope… Wait… That's not it… Can you access Reigo's studies on the hōgyoku? Especially everything related to a method of removal?"

Kaikoroku put all Reigo's data onscreen.

"Ego Urahara has spent a couple of months studying a way to pull the hōgyoku out of Aizen, but no simulations gave him satisfaction…"

"It is said here that the hogyouku has completely fused with its bearer. It demonstrates loyalty, as proven when it changed hands during the war and the gem fought back to go back with Aizen. Why?"

**"The hōgyoku is an orb composed of a unique substance made out of various melted spirit-matter. Its true power lies in its ability to sense the hearts of those around it and materialize their deepest desire. Not unlike the Spirit God. Except Kaijus are strongly allergic to it somehow… It could mean the eternal slumber even for the most powerful ones."**

"Is it possible to contain it?"

**"Yes, a recipient can be forged in the spirit-matter printer with the same material sarcophagus are made off. It will be ready in minutes. But a fused hogyouku won't ever let go of an owner he deemed fit."**

"Well, there are ways to confuse an hōgyoku. That's the method they used downstairs to catch Aizen, if I remembered correctly."

**"That Is correct."**

She smirked.

"Why didn't I think about that first? What about rehabilitation?"

**"I do not understand your query."**

"What other purposes building a jail have? Except to rehabilitate its prisoners."

" **You want to exorcise the Sleeping monarch?"**

"Not really… But I won't even have to if I bring peace to Aizen? He's the one who started all this. They're coming to get him. What if he could move on instead? What if I do what all of them are scared to do? Give him a clean slate—basic level 1 Shinigami duty. Send him back into the cycle… Give him a second chance and let him live his little life… Don't tell me this is not the best idea you've ever heard? I'm a genius."

**"Konsō…or Soul Funeral is a basic technique used by** **Shinigami** **as a fundamental part of their roles in maintaining the cycle of** **souls** **between the** **Human World** **and** **the** **Spirit World** **. Basically, it will inject back any souls into the cycle. However, to exorcise somebody like Aizen, you will have to subdue him and find a way to extract the Hōgyoku. All that in less than 65 minutes."**

"Sounds like fun! Start printing!"

She heard a sudden growl behind her and jumped, startled.

"You silly girl? How dare you disobey me?"

She turned to see Reiichi's shadow growing against the walls. He paused as he entered the control room

"Reiichi… What? How?"

"I asked first…"

There was a round of applause in the dark from the other side of the room. Izayoi emerged from the darkness.

"Actually, I like her plan, Reiichi. That's our girl. Always thinking outside the box. I knew someone like that once. Seems like we are all reunited, finally. How quaint! Let's make a beautiful memory together?"

Reini said, coming out of her own shadow.

"What are you doing here?" Reiichi growled, visibly surprised.

Izayoi shrugged and pointed at Kakira.

"I recalled she asked first. But I'm just here to help… just like you, right Reiichi? We're going to do some good deeds today, are we not?"

"You two are insane!"

"Were you worried about me? Is that why you came?" Kakira asked, unable to hide her glee.

"Of course he is… That's what parents do. Right? They worry… For their… offsprings."

"Go back to the factory, Izayoi."

"Nope. I refuse. What mother can possibly let her daughter face this kind of trial all alone?

"I'm glad you're here, mother."

"You're welcome, sweetie."

"How would you know what a mother does or doesn't do?"

"I had one… and brother too… if you recall… My family was so unlike yours." She said testily.

Kakira turned excitedly.

"Really? I have another uncle?"

"Yes, you do. He was but an infant last time I saw him. But he should have been all grown up by now… Right Reiichi?"

"If he lived, that is…Izayoi…"

Izayoi ignored him. She leaned over Kakira pleasantly, stroking her hair gently.

"We were so close. I would take him on strolls. Teach him things. Nurse him. He was so cute and so curious… just like you… Putting his little paws everywhere… So innocent… With a heart so pure… It had yet to be tainted by greed."

"I really thought all these centuries that you were an only child, mother."

"Well, I was not. Actually, my father had many "Children," something that stirs a lot of envy. He had a prosperous line coming after him, ready to take over… I had a big brother, for instance, that had himself thousands of children.

"Really?"

"Yes, he was a glorious creature with a big heart. His wings would cover the moonlight. He could recreate the Original Darkness."

"Original Darkness?"

"Cero Doble Obscura. It was the most beautiful sight. Truly Magnificent. My father cherished us all. But of course, we were his favorite, my baby brother and I… We were the youngest… His…"

"Izayoi…"

"Little miracles…born and bred..."

"Like father?"

Izayoi held on Kakira's arms firmly, her nails clawing lightly on the girl's skin.

"No, your father was more like you than you could imagine. He was not desired." She said coldly.

Kakira frowned. Izayoi smiled and gave an amused glance behind.

"His brother, his sister, and he were just artificial pieces of meat, chimeras extracted from the ribs of its Majesty. If you prefer, things he dropped while he shed… Because he was so sick, he was simply desperate to survive in any form. In fact, your father is exactly a carbon copy of his Majesty. Me, I had a mother once. A lady most cherished by her people. The Quincies."

"Quincies?"

"They are extinct now."

"But you are pureblooded…"

"My Father was a great visionary… He had the power to see the future. He believed it would be glorious to see his children walking the earth."

"And your mother?"

"Ah! Thinking about it, she wasn't the greatest mother, unlike me. But she was my mother nevertheless. And well, I am her, and I am my father… That made all the difference, right?"

Kakira nodded hesitantly.

"Where is she now?"

"Izayoi killed her. End of story." Masahiro said.

Kakira frowned.

"You killed your own mother?"

Izayoi shrugged.

"I did. Isn't that what children do when they are of age? Cut all ties in the most merciful fashion, of course? One day it's gonna be your turn."

"I don't think it is quite as common as you imagine it is." Reiichi sneered.

"How would you know? It's not like you ever got to experience the world outside these walls, your Grace!"

Kakira stared at her parents questioningly.

"But why did you have to kill her?"

Izayoi turned slowly with a bright smile.

"Well, darling, she threatened what I hold dearest. At that time, I'd kill anyone who'd touch a hair on his head—my baby brother. We, Kaiju, can love and cherish deeply mainly because there are so few of us. Ask your father how he treated the one who defiled his beloved sister."

But Kakira was so invested in this storyline, she didn't find a need to look into her father's history right now.

"Why did she do that? Threaten your baby brother, I mean?"

"How should I know? Why do humans do what they do? She was only human. Pluses are like cattle… They are weak with feelings… Plenty of them… Contradictory… Powerful feelings… You have to trust they have the greatest intentions at heart. Even if they are misguided at best… I think she loved us as much she envied us. Some might say she was also a bit… mad toward the end. I hope she is in a better place now."

She shrugged. They stopped in front of Aizen's cell.

"You ate her. I can confirm she is nowhere." Reiichi noted.

She faced them with a smirk unapologetic.

"Oups... That is correct."

Jealousy? Kakira frowned, trying to wrap her head over the concept. Izayoi grabbed Kakira firmly.

"Kakira Darling, you will know people often do things, outrageous things, desperate things, driven by their feelings of jealousy or grief. It's like what you just did…disobeying your father because of survival instinct? Or Reiichi coming so close to danger at the risk of his own life? Or me riding clouds just to spend more time with my beloved daughter?"

He didn't say anything, just stared at her and then at Kakira.

"I'm going back. Do as you please. I don't care. I'm disappointed, Kakira."

"Father…"

"Oh no, he cares very much. He only wants you to feel guilty, Sweetie. But don't let it bother you… Do as you please. We, your family, support you."

"This is the perfect solution, Mother."

"Nonsense, not only you're gonna get yourself killed, but you will get all lives extinct with you."

"Your Grace, you're not exaggerating one bit, are you? Scaring a poor child? Don't listen to him. I trust you, Sweetie."

"You trust her? Izayoi, what are you doing here?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you. I am where I want to be."

"You two have no idea what it takes to get this hōgyoku out. First of all, you cannot just drop your zanpakutō on his forehead and hope he will obediently follow the light. That is ridiculous. You have to be able to enter his consciousness, and to do that, you have to use a transgression spell…"

"A Transgression spell."

"That will kill you. I am only here to spare you the pointless effort. With an individual as deviant as Aizen, you need to be able to access his psyché during Konso, on the deepest level… This is not just a level 1 basic shinigami duty."

"That is again quite correct. But what your father didn't mention is that in his Henzai state, he can actually guide you in there, spare you the headache."

"Really?"

Reiichi turned toward her.

"That's your plan?"

"I don't know what you're talking about?"

"In my Henzai state, I won't be able to do anything else. You will be free to do whatever it is you came to do."

"I still can't see where all that suspicion comes from," Izayoi said sweetly.

"Your father is lying dead in the next room."

"The Eternal Monarch? Are we speaking of the one with no name ?"

"He has a name, Sweetie. I used to call him Daddy. That is true." She said defiantly.

Another alarm sounded. One by one, red neon lights plunged the corridors into a scarlet halo. Kaikoroku's automated voice was heard through the speakers.

**"Full transfer ... Infiltration of command line not authorized ... Interlocking Braking System ... Lashing in progress ... Lashing planned in ... 85 seconds ... Alert ... Dysfunctional Propulsion Reactor ... Defective braking system ... Incorrect speed settings ... Wrong coordinates ... Impact in ... 30 seconds ... Faulting Autopilot ... Alert ... Impact ... Inevitable collision ... Incorrect speed settings ... impact in 9 ... 8 ... 7 ... 6 ..."**

Like a train returning to the station at full speed, Muken docked with Soul Society in an atomic explosion that threatened to fracture the interdimensional layers. Kakira was thrown back. By reflex, Masahiro grabbed her hand, and for a millisecond, they floated in the air. The sarcophagus of Aizen soared in the air and struck the walls with a rare violence fracturing over its entire length. Wrapped in her father's arms, Kakira opened her eyes slowly. An eye incandescent, the other dark like a wormhole, he stared at her, expressionless. She finally moved, dusting herself up.

"Thanks."

He said nothing, staring at Aizen's cell with that same look. Kakira followed his gaze and gasped. The door of the cell was ajar, and the sarcophagus lying on its side fractured.

She entered the cell, trying to see in the darkness.

"No need. He is gone. Izayoi is also gone." He said with finality. As he pronounced these words, he started creeping back far away from the entrance. Ink dilated his pupils wildly while his left eye was blinking red in the dark.

"We don't have much time. Find your mother. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

"But Aizen…"

She had barely finished her sentence that something brushed her shoulders, and her hair was swept by a sudden strong wind. The sudden noise was not enough. It was the brutality of it, Aizen bumping into Reiichi and crashing the walls behind them as they collapsed on impact. It opened a new path toward between the cells and the machine room. She felt suddenly cold.

"Run," Reiichi said as he grabbed Aizen by the throat. His palms and claws literally burning from the contact of his skin with the hōgyoku bearer. H

Aizen looked up, completely unbothered, not even a bit frightened by their size difference. He sneered, his tongue bloody.

"That must hurt. You are different from what I imagined. It's my first time in ages seeing one of you pureblooded wonder. Yet, I can't help be underwhelmed. I expected more…"

He never finished that sentence as Reiichi send him crashing against walls, the beast in him almost delirious for violence. He furiously tore at Aizen's flesh with his claws. But each time a wound was open, the hogyouku would close it immediately. Blindly, he kept at it without a strategy. When finally he managed to tear Aizen apart, leaving his charred body bleeding on the floor, he stumbled back, leaning heavily against the wall.

Masahiro silently stared at his burnt hands. He blinked twice as a labyrinth of purple veins showed beneath his armors, the testament of how quickly the poison was infiltrating his body. He stumbled forward. Was this pain? It barely registered in his mind. Why couldn't he connect with? Where was he? He could no longer feel… the cycle… He seemed here and not there. He felt lonely. He felt lost.

He looked up as Aizen rose again like a zombie.

"What a welcome committee! My sentence is being commuted to parole. Who should I thank for this new lease of life?! Is it you? Or is it the imposter upstairs? Maybe he does want me to pay him a visit after all? Maybe he wants to be relieved of his duty."

"You're still under arrest. Don't move." Kakira screamed.

Aizen started toward Masahiro before he was again slammed back, punched, kicked, and crushed on the ground by a girl three sizes shorter than him. She did it over and over until it seemed like he would give in and fell unconscious. But he was resisting, and they started chasing each other full speed in the corridor, getting dangerously close to Muken's gates. Aizen evaded her small but deadly fist. He swept her off her feet, and she hit the ground on her back, struggling to get up. He was so damn strong, though. She grabbed her Teddy bear backpack and launched it forward. Before it touched the ground, it sprung into life-transforming into a giant bear with three heads. It surprised Aizen with a roar, and she took advantage to get up and run to Reiichi. She watched helplessly as he slid against the wall. When she touched the armor, it was no longer boiling with reiatsu. The metal was cold to the touch. She took off his helmet, discarding it quickly.

His face, ashen gray, Reiichi opened his mouth to feed, dragging back all the reishi he could. Wall collapsed to provide for his need, but it amounted to nothing as he immediately rolled aside and heaved liters of putrid black blood on the floor. Reiishi stared at the puddle of blood with wide eyes. He wiped his mouth with unusually shivering hands.

"Father? Please?! Tell me what to do to help you?" Kakira cried out.

"Why are you crying?" He almost growled.

The little girl only sobbed harder.

"It's my fault. The gates are open. If I wasn't so stubborn..."

Tilting his head, Masahiro concentrated as he crawled back into a seated position. His face relaxed as if he just integrated the finality of the situation. He was on the verge of falling into an eternal slumber. If he ever closed his eyes, it may be the last time. He smirked at the incongruity of it all.

"That was an interesting plan… True, my sister would have thought of that. She would have tried to save everybody. Even Aizen's life… "He said, his words slurred. He was no longer breathing regularly, his chest taking prolonged pauses. Yet, he was no longer resisting the inevitable.

"Father…"

His eyes started bleeding, as well as his nostrils, ears, and mouth. Black fumes coming out of his mouth, each unhurried breath.

"I will help you… I will enter my Henzai State… one… last… time… But I don't know how long I can hold on before… before…"

He didn't finish his sentence, a whistle coming out of his mouth instead of words.

"No… please… No…"

When he could speak again, his words were slurred.

"You won't have much time… But I am not worried… You will succeed. You were not unneeded. You were made, Kakira, for this. When you're done, find your mother. Stop her. By any means necessary."

His hand covering his eyes to accommodate to the light, Aizen got a glimpse of Soul Society's sky through the interstice of the opening gates. He'd never thought he will get to see this sky again in this lifetime. He slowly limped toward the door, the hōgyoku shining brightly on his chest. Kakira started to run before launching herself on him. They went crashing against the ground. He started up again. The little girl latched onto his ankle. Losing balance, he crawled on his knees, striking her twice to let go.

Unable to control the sudden spasms in his body, the earth trembling beneath him, Reiichi sat still, his eyes unblinking. One eye was red, and the other swimming in darkness. Both pupils jumped frenetically, his iris dilating. He remembered her flamboyant mane and the way her laughter would travel the walls, echoing in the whole palace. He remembered the soft touch of her neck. He remembered pushing her to her death. He witnessed her fall, watched the puffy white clouds swallow her, recalled his heart being shattered like glass in his own chest. He recalled the ache he lived with ever since, not even alleviated as he leaned over Kakira's crib. He remembered being surprised though the first time she openly laughed and how it resonated brightly through the palace. She was a thing. Built to fulfill a purpose. Yet, she crawled, gargled, and giggled like something new. Masahiro could see further than the floating castle of clouds. He could see behind the curtain of lights. He spread his mind to race the stars. The stars were flickering like jewels in his consciousness. He jumped in the river of time.

Muken was shaking whole. The doors opened slowly. It caused a call for air, which sucked chimera, giant caterpillars, and Kakira's bear in the Seireitei. The central doors opened with a metallic squeak, flooding the inter-dimensional portal with light. Aizen straightened up. Kakira was still recovering, her head bleeding, her eyes obsidian black, her fangs out. The Hogyoku was so damn strong. Its power had almost managed to leave her pinned down.

Before Sousuke made it closer to the threshold, a jolt of electricity went up his spine, and the world went black. He fell back and crashed on the ground.

Breathing hard, holding her stomach, Kakira looked up in the direction of her father. Dust was floating around him even as he sat in the same awkward position. She crawled quickly next to Aizen and pressed her palms on either side of his face. She closed her eyes in concentration. Her nostrils bleeding, she opened her eyes to find herself standing next to Reiichi facing a door.

Reiichi was the first to move, slowly pushing the door open. Aizen's Past, his present, his future, his dreams, she could see it all.

* * *

**Gin Ichimaru**

Captain of the third division

Former Commander of Aizen's army of Arrancars

Lover of Matsumoto Rangiku

The haori suited him like a glove. For once, his intentions were pure and his regrets sincere. You would have thought that the situation was under control. Hell was once a path made of good intentions. Now it was just the path of retribution.

* * *

He yanked the coat out in the air and finally put it on. It still suited him like a glove. Was he surprised? No, he knew it would fit him perfectly since he was born with something called swag. But to answer Nanao-chan's earlier question, it's not like he knew anything about what they were fighting for. Yet, Enzo was unlucky enough, having pissed on his prize and calling that vengeance. How dare this guy try to breathe in the same air as his Rangiku? How dare he try to touch what was his again? How dare he pretend that Gin had ever made him suffer to the level of what he inflicted on his girl? How dare he pretend to be a victim? Who was he to think his meager existence matter to Gin or the Fucking universe? Who was he to believe they were ever on equal footing here? That type of hate alone deserved his undivided attention.

And somebody should let that door open… Let Aizen walk out of there free. You will see which side Gin Ichimaru would be on. Gin Ichimaru was always on Gin Ichimaru's side. Nanao-chan and everybody else should know by now.

**Audiomachine - Sun and Steel Extended**

Gin faced Enzo directly. No more Game. No more Delay. They needed to end this nonsense. Enzo needed to die. Would he get the message? Jikanakuma brushed his face, tearing off a few strands of gray hair in the process. He dodged. The spear struck the ground violently, leaving its mark on the rocky, unstable environment. Well, what a boy wonder! He did get the message.

"Well, Captain Ichimaru, looks like we will leave this in your hands," Shunsui said as he and Jūshirō an unconscious Dengeki up, Nanao in tow.

"Shunsui?"

While dodging one of Jikanakuma's attack, Gin threw the Reiasekki stone at his old ally. Shunsui caught it and disappeared.

Shinso and Jikanakuma met at last. At the same time as Muken gradually anchors itself to Soul Society in a sickening mechanic noise. The collision of the two worlds caused a large explosion that colored the Seireitei in green and yellow. The blast pushed the two opponents further apart.

Enraged, Enzo swung again. The air sizzled around them. He stepped aside, avoiding Jikanakuma at the last minute. Enzo disappeared to better take him from behind. Gin praised him for his initiative with a kick. He crushed the face of the Primeros under his foot. Enzo crashed on the ground face first, tasting dark, putrid Hollow blood on his tongue. He stared at that Bitch, Rangiku, watching it all and almost growled with rage.

Gin stooped slowly to his level.

"Are you gonna shit yourself and beg me to end your life quickly like last time?"

Striking the ground twice with his fist, Enzo growled, then he laughed maniacally, unable to stop himself. It must have been pretty contagious as Gin started to laugh too. They laughed like madmen standing at the crossroads of their destinies, a brazier of flames behind them.

"Isn't it funny? I was shaking when I came … I mean, you're a Primeros now. Aizen's dirty little secret. He must have kept you guys for a reason. I told myself maybe you won't win this one, Gin. But I see that you haven't changed one bit since." Gin teased.

With a roar of rage, his eyes bulging, Enzo straightened up and kicked Gin on the floor. Too late, he missed. Gin was already behind him- whispering in his ears.

"I don't think I have as much imagination as I did back then. I got significantly older, you might say. Maybe even a bit senile. Yet, I will try to be creative, for your sake, Pumpkinhead. So, please don't beg for me yet?"

After everything he has been through on his way to Matsumoto Rangiku, there was suddenly something about this fight that was unappealing to Gin. It was calling forth his most primal instinct to the surface. Each blow getting more ruthless, each strike landing even more recklessly. They only seemed to agree on one thing, for now, they didn't want to use an annoying crutch like a bankai or a resurrection. It was a good old-fashioned one-on-one swordfight between two dishonest men.

They chased each other, each side landing powerful blows on the other. They danced around Rangiku, their silhouettes just a blur, a tornado of intents. Blood was flying around in heavy droplets that splashed her bland yukata. Rangiku's heart grew tense. The tension grew exponentially, and she saw the intent in every deliberate strike. She tried to move away, not letting herself get caught in the fight. At this rate, the hill was going to collapse. This fight had been an intricately choreographed dance of Destruction planned long ahead. Everywhere she looked, there were signs of despair.

Suddenly a hand snaked around her waist, uninvited. And Rangiku was forcefully pulled into their dance, forced to be a shield, forced to play the role of the victim again, except this time, she fought back.

A cloud of ashes rose where she stood previously. Her bland yukata became a black Shihakusho. Like a playful ghost playing hide and Seek. A swift shadow. Haineko savored some freedom. Her left eyes gleamed red as a result. She glided out of reach. Black ink spilled in her left pupil. She grabbed Enzo's wrist and twisting it down, almost breaking the bone. Before he realized what was happening and before the pain registered, he was seized by none other than Gin. He crashed back on his back, and the mountain started to give in underneath them. Like trash, the Primeros went tumbling down the hill. He rolled and rolled on the slippery slope until he could catch himself back with his spear. He surprisingly met Shinso with JiKanakuma.

"What is it, Pumpkin. You still think girls are the weaker sex?" Gin smirked.

Enzo kicked him down the hill, avoiding being decapitated last minute by Rangiku. Fuck this. Rangiku was still a bit slow behind, but what she didn't have in speed, she countered in determination. Enzo's attack was unfocused. It was unfair. Another explosion behind them, a pile of rocks rolled down the hill. Enzo gave a round kick sending Rangiku in the path of a behemoth of stones. But Shinso and Haineko, combined together, like an incandescent tornado of metallic dust, destroy the gliding pile of mountain rocks before it could inflict any damages.

Rangiku emerged from the cloud of Destruction, stumbling a little. She was pale and sweaty, visibly strained by all the efforts. This time Gin was there to catch her and pulled her to the side. Of course, she wasn't up to fight. She just frickin' came back from the dead. But he was proud of his girl anyway for showing some serious skills in a fight like this.

Staring at them with disgust, Enzo took advantage to catch his undead breath, taking refuge on a frail section of the mountain. He spurted blood on the ground, holding his side. He hadn't counted on Rangiku participating in the mayhem. She should have been that lively back in Hueco Mundo; they would have had a blast. But now, the princess wasn't his primary target; Gin was.

He studied everything about Gin. He studied everything from the nature of his bankai to the way he simply moved during a fight. He had endless reports and footage on hand, thanks to Aizen, who recorded everything that guy did back in Soul Society. That was how he was able to predict most of his moves and countered with Jikanakuma. Yet, he needed more to trigger his resurrection. He needed to make contact. Except Gin was a virtuoso in long-distance, long-range fights, a master at evading attacks. He never fought openly. Each time, he thought that was it, Gin contorted in ways he could avoid impact. Enzo only saw one way to end this. He had to forego caution and fight in the open to trap him. That's why raising his speed, lowering his Hierro shield, he allowed Shinso to connect time and time again with his Hierro. He no longer cared. There was no way out of this. He would get his vengeance or, at the very least, hope for mutual Destruction. He would do anything to kill that guy. He smirked, a tornado of spiritual pressure forming where he stood.

" **Kōin yanogotoshi, Jikanakum** a."

The spear turned into a three-pointed Kobudo, and he started to whirl it above his head. Without warning, he attacked again. This time with a new strategy, before Shinso and Jikanakuma could meet, Gin pushed Rangiku back, shielding her completely, deliberately stepping forward to protect her. Enzo smiled from ears to ears as he relentlessly tried to make contact, targeting that girl, anticipating the mistake Gin was bound to make.

The little boy back then hadn't seemed the least bit scared. A look of ice, with youthful and naive features, he had leaned over Mao Enzoraki, his zanpakutō a few inches from his face. His aura had made the air around him toxic. Gin had prepared his revenge. He had been preparing it for decades. He was even disappointed. He had believed that these guys would pose a real challenge to him. But they had not been more complicated to beat than the usual thugs of Inuzuri. He hadn't felt anything as a bonus. He thought it would quench his thirst. That his desire for revenge would stop there! That seeing their head rolled on the ground, eyes out of their sockets, he would feel soothed.

Gin remembered the day that guy touched what was his. He remembered the visceral pain coursing through him for the first time in his existence. What they did to her that day scorched his own soul. Because he realized from her distance her mind was breaking down just trying to survive this ordeal. Her body was giving up. She was praying for Gin to come to save her. He couldn't grant her only wish. She was the only person that matter in his world, yet he was unable to grant her wish in a timely fashion. She was screaming in horror, but no sound came out of her. Her body went numb. She was internalizing and storing all that pain in their shared soul.

Gin remembered how much he writhed on the ground like an actual snake, desperate and delirious. He wanted to go to her. Reach out to comfort her. Destroy everything that stood in his way. Destroy the world who stood between him and her. He simply couldn't move from the ground, black tears streaming down his cheek. He simply felt everything they did to her. It took him on a weird journey with pain as his only companion. He was never the same afterward. Maybe the worst damage had been done on his soul, unprepared as it was with such a concept. He had lived close to a millennium without ever feeling that way. Until then, he hadn't even believed in the cruelty of mortals. True, he was wary of them but not to believe them to be the ultimate threat. They were inconsequential creatures in the grand scheme of things. Cattle. Herd. After that, he couldn't believe this was the world he lived in. He couldn't believe this was the world his Rangiku lived in. He wanted to change that, destroy this world and build something new in its stead. Destroy it. Turn it to ashes. Build something new.

Ringu Kogitama's head went rolling on Aizen's porch, catching the vice-captain's attention as it splattered blood on his wall. He slowly put down his quill pen. Standing in the courtyard, Gin held next Enzo's decapitated head in one hand as soldiers gathered in the fifth division's courtyard. Aizen came out at last. They stared at each other without a word. Gin squinted innocently as he threw the head at Aizen's feet. The boy smirked. He had expected Aizen to call for back up. He had half-expected he would have to kill every one of them to get to Aizen. But before the other soldiers moved, Aizen stopped them with one hand. He stared into Gin's soul with an air of recollection. They remained like that for an indefinite amount of time.

_"Who are you?"_

_"Gin. Ichimaru Gin."_

_Aizen tilted his head knowingly._

_"You're the Prodigy from the Academy I heard about, right? What brings you into the fifth division?"_

_He asked casually as if heads rolling on his porch were no indication at all. Gin flippantly shrugged as the soldiers started to surround him. That shit should be obvious. He played absentmindedly with his bloody wakizashi, licking the blade._

_"Heard you were hiring?" Gin said._

_"Who told you that?"_

_"This guy."_

_He pointed at the head with a smirk while scratching his own little head._

_"He told me a lot of stuff. We had a long, meaningful conversation."_

_Aizen frowned but nodded, seemingly interested, his face perfectly neutral._

_"He told me you wanted… to change this world. Build a new one in its stead."_

_A shadow passed on Aizen's amiable features; he didn't move._

_"Me too."_

_Gin said clumsily, wiping the blood on his face, adding even more gore in the process. Aizen simply smiled, feigning shyness. He took another step forward._

_"Welcome into the Fifth Division, Gin."_

As Shinso grazed his neck, Jikanakuma finally pierced Gin's chest. Time stopped— **Jikan kanshō.**

Rangiku caught herself staring into Gin's eyes in that frozen second between standoff and fighting, replicating his look of horror. That arm around her waist belonged to Enzo.

For a second, it almost looked like Gin had stabbed his own lover to get to Enzo. For a second, it was hard to comprehend how they made it this far. The truth was even more twisted. Enzo held onto Rangiku as a shield. Like he predicted, Shinso stopped inches from her heart. Despite his self-proclaimed hate for Haineko, there was no way Gin's zanpakutō could hurt Rangiku. There was no way he would not recognize Haineko. Enzo smiled defiantly. During that fraction of a second, when Gin was busy stalling his attack, his Kobudo had met with flesh for once. Gin's chest.

After all, Gin really did say he died several times on the path that connected Heaven to Hell. He forcefully glided back, palpating his side, put a finger in the notch to estimate its depth. His nerve ending was suddenly shooting with pain. He was weak against pain. He was not recovering fast enough. Shinso trembled between his fingers, and behind the barrier of his silver fringe, his eyes changed color. He needed to feed again. It was just out of the question. He needed his full control to exact his revenge. It was the only thing he had sworn he would never use. The little heart he had, he would lose immediately. After all, they've been through, if he lost the little heart he had to become an animal, a beast, a bloodthirsty predator, Rangiku would never forgive him. She would never accept it.

by  [ Jeternity ](https://www.deviantart.com/jeternity)

Time stopped. In the giant hourglass of life, the grains of sand stopped flowing. The timeline opened before him in a series of infinite directions. For Byakuya or any average mortal, his lifeline constituted in a hundred different paths. Gin's paths were infinite, yet he would only choose all the path that took him to Rangiku. It was a maze with snippets of moments. Yet, some events he couldn't even recognize as something that ever happened. Then, he was suddenly faced with a ghost from his past, someone, something tall.

"Do you wanna touch it?"

Gin bit his lips, biting back any retort. He was suddenly so tired.

"Where am I?"

"You absolutely adore this place. Even more than my little Moon, in fact. I never understood how you can spend so much time watching that wheel."

Gin blinked, and in front of him was the wheel, spinning away, moved by the endless flow of potent souls.

"Where's my path? Why am I here again? Does it end here?"

The creature was shaken by laughter.

"Ending? What is the end?" It said with a jaw full of sharp fangs.

Gin shook his head.

"I was fighting for Rangiku… A minute ago… I was in Seireitei… and…That asshole got me… in his stupid resurrection…"

"Who?"

"Rangiku-chan…"

"I don't know that person. Is that one of your new creations, my boy?"

A new creation? A creation? Gin paused. Fuck if he remembered. He considered, at last, the thing that was extended to him by the creature. He swallowed hard, his heart leaping in his chest. It was a tiny gem, not really shiny, an insignificant piece. It rolled right inside the palm of his hand as he held it for a few minutes. But he soon handed it back to its owner with unusual deference.

"You liked to play with it so much in your crib as I also did once upon a time… Now you're old enough to walk on your own. I can go back to sleep."

Gin looked around him again.

"I'm not in Seireitei anymore. Where am I? Who are you?"

"You have a lot of questions. Good! Good! I'm relieved. It's all good you created your own fail-safe, my boy. You're such a prodigy. You never failed me! Don't tell your siblings, but you are my greatest creation! So Rangiku-chan, right? It's a perfect name for it… I guess. Ran-chan?"

"Ran-chan?" Gin repeated slowly.

He looked around worriedly. It was even blander a world than his inner world, a silver castle between sand dunes.

"Hey! Wait! Tell me! Am I dead? Is that the end? I expected it to be something else. Are you God? Are you the Spirit King?"

The creature simply laughed maniacally.

"Hilarious! You really are my precious boy. Stop jesting! You have always been so lively… Now go on… Be on your way… Please cause some mayhem while you're at it. Show them how it's really done. Make me proud. Ran-chan… Ran…Rangiku-Chan? What a pretty name! This boy! Really?" The dark figure said, walking away, his hands joined leisurely behind his back.

Gin stared at his juvenile appearance in a puddle of liquid chrome. He looked even younger than in his oldest memory. But before he could make sense of any of this, he gasped, seemingly grasping his consciousness back with both hands. Eyes wide, he tried to catch his breath. Jikanakuma's spear retracted before puncturing his bowels over and over again. The pain he could get accustomed to it. Gin sidestepped and dance his way out of reach on instinct, blindly stumbling further away to avoid another attack.

Enzo gasped in stupefaction. First, that bastard Kuchiki came out of Jikan Kansho's inferno. Still, he admitted back them having let go of his control on purpose, distracted by what was happening to Barruk. But he'd never seen anyone come out of its trance so fast.

Gin was sweating profusely, understandably shaken by his vision. His hand was shaking so much that he seemed to be on the verge of losing control. He stood in the air with the giant doors of Muken opening behind him.

One by one, the remaining captains of the Gotei arrived on the scene, or what was left of the stage. Komamura triggered his bankai to repel the invader. The giant straightened up completely, and his fist stopped the fangs of an Inukami, a dog demon with seven tails. The samurai pushed him back inside the portal.

The captain-general landed in turn, followed by his lieutenant Sasakibe.

Amid the chaos, a Garganta opened in the sky, parachuting the tenth division's Captain into the void. Nel, Tia, and Grimmjow watched the Captain's fall and the extent of damage caused by the war for a few seconds. The Garganta closed just as suddenly.

Before he crashed to the ground, the clouds gathered in the already gray sky. The raindrops crystallized, and the ice dragon showed the tip of its nose. Surfing on the muzzle of the beast, Hitsugaya attacked, in turn, the portal. He immediately started eliminating everything that was teeming and escaping from the door with Hyourinmaru. It roared as he glided through the air, freezing everything in its path.

"And a new ghost?" Kyouraku whistled diligently. Ukitake nodded, also relieved.

Tōshirō glanced behind him. His blood only turned cold. Gin. He tightened his katana and ... Impossible. His heart jumped in his chest. Rangiku. She was alive. He headed straight for his vice-captain. He blinked when he saw an object passing at full speed.

Kyouraku beheaded the tentacles of a giant slobbering cuttlefish. Ukitake had split an equally Herculean-sized caterpillar in two.

Gin crashed on his back. It was when he was already on the ground that he realized he was falling. He felt like shit again, his stomach contracting wildly, his hands shaking. Nauseous. It was from a distance he watched the other captains fighting upside down in the sky.

He heard Enzo laugh.

"Oh, at last! Look like the mighty had finally fallen." Enzo said, stooping at his level.

Rangiku pounced on him before he could touch Gin, but Enzo simply grabbed her by her flamboyant mane and threw her down.

"Kamishininoyari."

He leaned over Gin again and was surprised to see he was grabbing Shinso with both hands. He barely had time to crawl backward, a boiling ray of energy blasted the sky.

"Buto." Gin simply said.

Enzo ducked and sprinted back. Buto caught his shoulder and dark hemoglobin splurted in the air. Gin jumped back on his feet, gritting his teeth at the pain slicing him in two. The Haori of the third division was slashed, the sleeves on the right destroyed. The Primeros had grabbed him by the neck with one hand and with the other tried to impale his carotid and severe his timeline. The pull of Jikan Kansho on his timeline was strong still, and all his attacks got countered. Yet, He dodged at the last minute with a backflip. With a returned kick, he pushed Enzo away. The Primeros retaliated savagely. An explosion of reiatsu was triggered each time they met. That was nothing like how they started this.

Grabbing Shinso with both hands, he looked at Enzo with a smile.

"Back then, I was shaking as I held Shinso. Buto Renjin."

Enzo swirled his spear in front of him. The strength of ButoRenjin hit the spear point-blank, and a range of trees behind Enzo dissolved under pressure. Gone was the care. When the first division walls were caught in their duel. It got pulverized to dust. Enzo absorbed all the shock with a delayed timeline as his resurrection allowed him. Gin sidestepped him to get behind him.

\- Jikan Kansho, Jikanakuma.

\- Bakudō no Hachijû Ichi, Danku.

The waves released by Jikan Kansho were stopped short by a transparent Kido wall. Enzo groaned.

\- I don't like to use kido, mainly because I find it much less exciting, but in our case, this will save us time, huh? After all, following all the rules of nature, your zanpakutō, Primeros, is based on kido. So let's get back to the basics, shall we?"

Enzo remained frozen, his face monstrously distorted with rage. He roared like a wounded beast.

\- Yeah, yeah, yeah, I took your balls once. Sorry about that too! Buto!" Gin said, blood seeping in the corner of his mouth.

_He was not surprised to find her standing there waiting for him. She didn't ask about her oversized shinigami clothes. She didn't ask questions when she saw the bloodstain on his face._

_\- Gin?_

_\- Ran? I've decided. I will become a Shinigami. I will become a Shinigami and change things. So that the story ends without Rangiku ever having to shed a single tear._

Finally, his plan backfired. Rangiku had shed tears well afterward. Gin opened his eyes for a few seconds.

\- I don't think I created the Monster in front of me. However, I think it was I who released it into the wild. And for that, I'm sorry!

\- Are you sorry?

Gin nodded again. Enzo let out a roar of rage before launching the spear first on the Captain. With skill, Gin slid Shinsō up his sleeve. He imprisoned one of Enzo's large hands in his, gave a blow on the transverse of his chin, effectively breaking the bone. He then forced the arm that carried Jikanakuma to let go before turning to inflict a mighty kick on the Primeros neck base. Finally, he ended the sequence with a punch in the rib cage. His fist pierced right through the Primeros' chest. How?

Simple. He had first weakened his Hierro at strategic points before striking. He hadn't become Commander of the Arrancar armies of Aizen just because of the crystal clear purity of his beautiful blue eyes, his tremendous sense of humor, and his impeccable style. He had studied the matter.

However, and that he hadn't calculated, before he retracted his fist, Enzo had disappeared. Gin's eyes widened in surprise. He bowed his head.

Enzo materialized behind Rangiku. He lifted the young woman and laughed, his mouth bloody.

"Gin, I'm the one who's sorry. I'm going now. But I'm not going alone."

During that second, when Rangiku's life was hanging in the balance again, his heart had stopped beating irrationally. Of course, she remembered what he taught her… But the fear was still there that she wouldn't or couldn't. That this time the separation may be definitive. He wasn't ready yet. For it to be definitive.

So his cold dead heart leaped frantically in his chest…

Enzo lifted the young woman into the air.

Black ink spilled in both Ichimaru's eyes, and the world became critically red. A hollow mask was reconstituted over a whole part of Ichimaru's face. Boiling away, his skin changed color again… morphing uncontrollably… Particles of reishi were absorbed from his immediate surrounding. He opened his jaw….

Enzo turned Rangiku to look the young woman in the eyes. Rangiku bore into his soul with silent gravitas. None of the panics he ever saw earlier. It was as if she didn't care for her life any longer. She didn't scream. She just stared at him, point-blank.

Toshiro could never arrive in time. The necklace around her neck was untied and slid to the ground. Enzo tilted his head back to utter another thunderous laugh. Despite his broken bones and his own suffering, he put more pressure on Rangiku's neck until his claws scratched the delicate skin of the young woman. Her face, almost cyanotic, Rangiku didn't struggle.

On the contrary, she wanted to be as hard as a stone when she felt that his real goal was to break her neck. With one hand, she grabbed the falling necklace, and without thinking, she stuck it in his throat. It was the Primeros' turn to change colors and choke.

Shaken by a coughing fit, he let go. Rangiku fell back to the ground and crawled out of reach as quickly as she could. Still trying to grab her blindly, he crawled on the floor. Rangiku felt a hand on her shoulder, and after a quick burst of terror, she recognized the hand of her Captain. She clung to this hand, Shiro-chan's hand, like a lifeline while not taking her eyes off Enzo.

Tears just as black as his pupils obscured the sight of the Primeros. He tried in vain to spit out the foreign object. He looked up to find Gin in front of him… Well, maybe not Gin… As his eyes traveled slowly from head to toe.

One Gin Ichimaru was no more. The creature who stood before him Enzo couldn't recognize. His eyes, obsidian black, considered his prey with a total lack of humanity. He snapped his snake's tongue on his fox canines twice, his face morphing slowly. His clawed hand, brushing Enzo's throat, he pronounced his verdict, becoming again, judge, juror, and executioner.

" Korose, Kamishini no yari."

The activation of his bankai caused a surge of spiritual pressure. Toshiro grabbed his vice-captain and ducked behind a rock. The throat of the Espada soon began to boil. No cell escaped the poison. They imploded on themselves one by one.

Gin vaguely felt Rangiku's gaze on him. With the mask on his face, the blatant distortion between who and what he was grew out of control. His head jerked back as he opened his mouth to feed. Fortunately, the area had been deserted. Everything melted and turned into white orbs. His throat hanging by a thread, Enzo remained paralyzed, laughter forever trapped in his throat. A flurry of shiny balls flew past him, absorbed by Gin.

Until the very soul of Enzo Weavorpine, a shiny blue thing was absorbed. Gin retrieved the floating necklace and grabbed Enzo's face with one hand. Then he ground it as if it had been just a simple overripe fruit. Hemoglobin and flesh tainted the haori of the third division. Enzo's shell immediately disintegrated.

Gin now stood in a desert of his own making. He roared for the creature he became was in so much pain right now, missing something, missing everything. Not recognizing anything. Who? Where? How? Gone was the thought of Enzo. Not even knowing what started it all, he let out another beastly growl. He surveyed his surroundings with a predatory leer, black fumes escaping his open mouth. He needed to start over.

\- Gin?

Distrustful, Tōshirō caught up with Rangiku, holding her arm firmly. The creature growled low, showing fangs. It continued to feed on his surroundings, unleashed and unhinged. Toshiro couldn't believe what he was seeing.

More than a millennium ago, a creature fell from the sky with no clouds to cushion his sudden fall. One instant, it was holding a familiar hand, being cherished and all, next he was falling swiftly. Clouds opening behind him, lightning crossing and shining, drawing patterns in the blazing sky... Like the deployment of angel wings… Earth rushing to meet him.

The creature met the Earth of Soul Society like a Meteor hit the world of the living once, bringing only Destruction and Tragedy in its wake. That's how that thing crashed in Soul Society. The earth rippled like water over kilometers and kilometers, rivers and sea would rise. Magma boiled its soils, the ground opening to let it all out. Volcanos erupted with a deep rumbling noise. Mountains were unnaturally erected with volcanic rocks. A mushroom of smoke rose to cover the blue sky. It crashed, and the people in their small villages screamed and ran in fear the world was ending.

It crashed.

Then nothing.

It took months for the dust to simply settle.

It took a year for the creature to open his eyes and simply exhale, and another two years to learn to walk again. When the beast finally left the crater, crawling and climbing five years since his fall had passed. It would have been unreconcilable to see this tiny pup… This toddler… and determined he was at the origin of such massive Destruction. He looked around him with curious eyes. Curious about the wind that blew on his face and the ever-constant sun burning his eyes. He squinted hard, finding he could see better that way. From time to time, he would encounter a hollow roaming the land. This, he would recognize instantly as something familiar yet dangerous. He would run or brawl with them disorderly, depending on the mood. He would watch them also melt until he opened his jaw wide to absorb them. They tasted like emptiness. Like something was missing. They tasted like something he regretted swallowing. So, he decided he wouldn't systematically kill them. Some, he would even train and pet for a while before they find their way back to their lands. He walked and walked for years without a purpose. His features shifted along the years to better accommodate his surroundings. Without a sense, it tasted rocks and pebbles, never finding them satisfying. It crushed under his fangs, leaving him a stale taste in his mouth, but he didn't know any better.

That was until he ventured closer to the forest and the quelling inside him increased tenfold. It was like an agitated army inside of him. He developed a sense of not being entirely alone on this plane of existence. He developed the habit of tasting every new thing once, grass, leaves, trees, berries, fruits, seeds...etc. Some days he got sick and heaved. But he felt no pain and encountered no disease. It tried rabbit raw, and it realized it quenched the agitation in his stomach for a very short while. So it started hunting, for more of these things… That's how it encountered its first men. They were hunting, carrying their child on their back. The creature observed them from behind bushes, trying to decipher who and what they were. He took in the habit of following them often like he did for the rabbit. They lived under self-made shelters. They bred animals for their own consumption. He tried one of those animals, and he got so full he had to throw up the rest.

Catching his reflection in a puddle, he realized he looked a bit like them, except for his silver hair, but even that didn't look too out of place here. The older they get, the whiter, the more silvery their hair became. He started listening more to the sound they made and the way they walk. Finally, he could grasp syllables together and make them make sense. At the turn of his first century, he understood most of their dialects. He could also recognize and mimic their expressions. He stole their clothes too.

Three centuries later, he was a regular sighting among the villagers. He would spend a tremendous amount of time observing and spying on his people. Among them, he had a few favorites, like Gu Paipai, a farmer. Gu and his female Tomo had a litter of six mouths to feed. If he was a good enough farmer, he was a terrible hunter. So, during winter, the creature would drop a rabbit on Gu's porch now and then, for he was convinced Gu needed all the help he could find to feed his voracious offsprings. That is how thanks to Gu's enthusiastic testimony that the others started to consider him a deity and build totem and temple for him. They left food almost daily in exchange for the protection of theirs stocks and harvest. Persimmons and Meat rolls soon became his favorite things.

He watched Gu and Tomo late at night, fighting, cussing each other out, before kissing each other deeply and blowing the candles. Then at night, in his dreams, he would wish for someone to bother him the way Tomo seemed to bother Gu at times. Life went on. They grew older, and he would watch each of their little pups leave the house and find people to bother in return.

Until something happened to Gu and Tomo came in the forest seeking for him, crying and pleading. He was curious to see what she would tell him, so he appeared to her and even followed her to where Gu fell. He watched tiny golden orbs like sparkles detached themselves from Gu's chest and rose in the air. It was clear Tomo couldn't see it. But the state Gu seems in looked irreversible to him. Oddly enough, he realized he felt a turmoil inside, not unlike when he was simply hungry.

"Please, my lord, do something! Revive him! You are omnipotent. Please, I cannot live without him."

Even if he didn't make sense of it, the creature knew by instinct. It devoured Gu and Tomo's souls and their fields and stocks until there was nothing left. Roaming the land for decades in a feral state, he destroyed everything on his path. Until one day, he felt full and fell asleep in the dry crater of a volcano. He slept for decades… Centuries even. When he woke up, it all seemed like he did well at first. But later, he felt uneasy and somewhat ashamed, yet he didn't understand what he did wrong.

Something started gnawing at his consciousness. Tomo asked him to do something, and he did. But the silence that reigned where Tomo and Gu's house once stood after that was like capital punishment. Gone was his joy. He felt satiated but lonely. Life would spring forward. Simple souls started to populate the place again. But no souls were remotely alike these two. He began to study the question while watching their empty field being invaded by trees. A new generation took over the land. He followed them from birth to their passing and followed the orbs as well, as they entered almost invisible portals. He understood the souls went there to feed someone else. Don't ask him how he knew he just did.

Two hundred years passed, he started to encounter more of 'the black uniforms' patrolling the land during his walks. They would systematically kill the poor hollows that ventured too far from their land. It saddened him to see their uneven fight. Yet, he was fascinated by their techniques. So, he started to stalk them further in the city, disguised as one of them. He wouldn't pay attention to all the noises they made, not yet. He would mostly watch them train and hunt. Following their session, he discovered he could run as fast as the fastest of them. He found he could move energy using his Ki, too, just like them. He heard this was called spiritual pressure. He learned a lot just by following some of them.

It never was clear if his growing knowledge of the world was the cause. He started having nightmares, dreaming of places he never visited. He would be having nonsensical conversations with creatures and spirits he never encountered in the most realistic dreams. Each time, he woke up shivering and sweaty. Each time, he wouldn't fall back to sleep for days. He would go back to Gu and Tomo's place, sit on what used to be their porch for hours, trying to get a sense of where they went. Did they join the manufactory he saw in his dreams? Did they know about the Monster behind the wheel? What did all of this mean? Why was he alone? What was missing?

It was during one of his strolls that he found something of interest in the forest. It was an unconscious girl. Her blond hair spilling like a crown behind her, she looked like she fell from the sky like him. He introduced himself and ask for her name. When she told him that her name was Rangiku Matsumoto, time seemed to freeze for Gin. Just her name alone seemed like the answers to the thousands of questions he had. He just knew her by instinct alone. He knew she was his. He smiled in recollection. Tilting his head, he knew she fell from the sky because he wished it so deep down.

Back in the Seireitei in the present time, the creature jerked back, ready to feed, until it noticed the necklace still hanging in his left claws.

"Gin."

It stopped moving. His black pupils settled on the necklace in his hand. Ran-Gi-Ku.

"Gin." She screamed, trying to get away from Toshiro.

**Destroy. Kill. Eat. Kill. _Rangiku_. Run. Survive. Destroy everything. _Rangiku_."**

"Gin? Please? Wake up? Let go, Captain! I know you can hear me. I'm here. I'm safe. Please!"

Gin clasped the necklace with one hand, closed his fist, and smashed the mask over his face. Once ... Twice ... On the third ... It began to fall apart and disintegrate… he morphed over and over... His pupils shifting to normal. He stumbled backward, disorderly. He barely had time to look up in her direction that Rangiku threw herself into his arms and anchored him to the ground. He watched his claws fade as he clung to her for a change. Gin wanted to hang onto Rangiku and never let go. He was finally home.

by  [ Jeternity ](https://www.deviantart.com/jeternity)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Picture 1 -by Sephiroth-Art //Jackie Tristan is another Kubo's character, which I will tweak here for the purpose of this story. I disliked almost everything about her in the manga, included Kubo's charadesign. I found it was cheesy and uninspired at best. She also had no personality to speak of.   
> So all similarities stop there. She is much more modern and edgy in my head as Yomi's right hand. She is not here to play. She is the most badass secretary someone could ask for. 😁😝
> 
> Picture 2- by yuumei// How I imagined the arrival of the X-Cution Team in front of the Kojima tower in Karakura. I love those masks.
> 
> [1] The Kushanāda are the guardians of Hell. They are humongous beings who walk on all fours with elongated skull-like heads and a large piece of armor on their right are in charge of the Togabito, the sinners, who usually populate Jigoku.
> 
> [1] Gōsei, literally angel dust, is a unit of measurement.
> 
> [2] Seishin-Shin, literally the Spirit God.
> 
> Next chapter = Delusion of Grandeur


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